Trapped Inside
by Lady Arabella Malfoy
Summary: After Hogwarts. The world of Death Eaters and Voldemort. Ginny is captured and put under care of Malfoy, one of DE. Strange relationship is formed in which they help each other to survive in the dark world. Full summary in the bio.
1. Captured

**Disclaimer: Firstly, I want as always to say that the Harry Potter characters belong to the one and only J.K. Rowling. **

**Secondly, I want to mention that this fic was influenced by the ingenious "After the War" by Aduro. I am saying it because if you notice any similarities in the ideas or conceptions, they are here because my fic was born after reading it and asking myself the question: what can happen with England as a country if Voldemort wins? I hope that I manage to answer it with the fic below.**

**Trapped Inside by Lady Arabella Malfoy**

**Chapter One: Captured**

He was bloody winning and 'bloody' wasn't used as a curse word here. The Dark Lord was prevailing, leaving a bloody trace behind him. Blood seemed to be everywhere. The wizarding world was falling apart and people had already lost any hope in bringing it together again. All the wizarding towns of England were flooded with Death Eaters and any attempt of resistance to them was stopped with death.

Muggles also suffered a great deal from all this. People were killed or simply disappearing without a trace. Whole neighborhoods were blown up with no evidence to establish the reason of the tragedy. The muggle governments were preparing for the war, but whom against?

She ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her and even faster. With five Death Eaters on her tail, she knew she had not a chance to survive. Why oh why she got an idea to check out the Ministry of Magic? Her subconscious told her that it had been because she wanted to do _something_, just anything, to help. She was twenty for crying out loud! She could take care of herself.

But now luck wasn't on her side. It all began with a light wind that blew off her hood, revealing her flammable hair. For Death Eaters it was like a command "Fetch and kill!" Red hair meant a Weasley and the Weasleys were blood traitors that's why they must DIE! She changed numerous streets and turns, but the pursuit was still hot on her tail.

'_Merlin, why did I go there?! Mum will kill me! If they don't and THAT is really likely. I don't want to die! I am too young to die! And probably too young to have a head on your shoulders with some brain in it,_' she added sarcastically.

A huge black figure appeared in front of her and it was the last thing she saw before darkness consumed her.

The awakening was painful and hard. Ginny felt like her head had been smashed several times against a brick wall. The very revelation that she was alive made her open her eyes with a start. The first thing that she registered was that she was bound to a chair and couldn't move an inch.

"I am alive," she whispered, looking down at her knees.

The fact that she must have been kidnapped for some sick purpose and right now was tightly bound to a chair in some room somewhere in the world didn't bother her at that moment.

She was roughly reminded of it when a door was slammed open and a young blond man stormed into the room. After soundly closing the door, he began to rapidly move around, organizing some papers or checking something on a mysterious map on the wall. The markings on it made no sense to Ginny.

It continued for a whole ten minutes, giving Ginny an opportunity to watch the intruder. She didn't need to think twice about his identity. Only one boy had such striking blond hair; and that boy was Draco Malfoy. Correction. He wasn't a boy anymore, he was a full-grown wizard. Moreover, he was certainly a Death Eater.

Ginny Weasley was bound to a chair in a room together with a Death Eater and that was _not_ a good combination. The moment that thought crossed her mind, Ginny felt a sharp end of a wand on her throat.

"What are you doing here?" Malfoy half yelled half squeaked.

Ginny turned to face him and couldn't utter a word. Of course, she had never seen the face of a Death Eater because they always wore masks, but the face of Draco Malfoy made her mute from shock. His face was completely pale; his eyes were blood shot and seemed to be a bit disoriented; the lips were also pale and bloodless. He looked as if not only the life was sucked out of him, but his mind also. Still, his wand arm was steady and somewhere very deep in his eyes could be seen strength and wisdom. But they were too deep to have a reflection on the surface.

"I asked you a question!" he barked into her face.

"I don't know," Ginny breathed out, still sensing the sharp edge of his wand on her neck. '_When did wands started to have sharp edges?_'

Malfoy recoiled from the chair and was on the other end of the room in two long strides. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

"I mean, that I don't bloody know what the Hell I am doing here!" Ginny yelled back, insulted by being treated like a fool.

"And you appeared here from thin air…from pure magic." His white lips were put into a wide smirk.

"I was captured by your dear friends near the Ministry. Ask _them_ about how I ended up here!"

"By my friends, you mean Death Eaters?"

"Of course, who else could your friends be?!"

Malfoy's tone suddenly turned serious. "The way you appeared doesn't bother me. The question is what to do with you… There are two options: you were sent here for me to torture, rape and then kill." Ginny swallowed. "Or you were put under my care for further instructions. There is also a third option… I can kill you right now."

"What?!" Ginny shrieked. '_When did this shiny dagger appear in his hand?_'

"Yes, I will kill you right now and then dispose of your body. Nobody will know anything. Do you want me to?" Malfoy asked, with a glistening of madness in his glance.

She frantically shook her head, unable to say anything, realizing that she again was on the verge of death.

"What do you want then? To be tortured and raped? Or to be a slave of the Dark Lord?" Ginny again shook her head. "What else can you do?"

"I can fight," she answered with determination.

"What for? You'll still be killed in the end."

"I am a Weasley and a gryffindor. I won't give up without a fight!" She tugged on the ropes for emphasis.

"I made my decision; I'll kill you so not to bother myself with this ridiculous conversation." He spat on the floor and threw the dagger.

Ginny watched as the dagger was flying right at her. '_You can't die twice on the same day._' The blade neared with every millisecond and then it passed her face by two inches and stabbed into the floor. She stared at the dagger until it was removed by long pale fingers.

"I did it on purpose," Malfoy stated, hiding the dagger in his sleeve. "You looked into the eyes of Death, soon you two will be good acquaintances. Right now, I am going to ask about your lucky fortune. A lot of people would've been fortunate if you just died, but the luckiest of them all would've been you, Weasley."

With that he left, leaving Ginny in a stupor from shock. After fifteen minutes of staring at the floor, she shook her head to clear the fog of fear in it. "All Death Eater are utterly crazy," Ginny muttered.

Coming to this conclusion, she decided to look around to understand where she was. She hadn't given the room a second glance since she got there. It was an average bedroom, twice as small as Hogwarts dormitory. She was sitting opposite a middle sized bed with no bedposts and simple yellow sheets. Near the bed stood quite a large and heavy looking table completely covered with parchments of all sizes. On the wall opposite the table was a huge map mentioned before. After closer inspection, Ginny realized it was Great Britain, but nothing else was clear to her. Two feet from her was a wardrobe and a door.

'_Probably, a bathroom_,' Ginny mused.

The only other unmentioned pieces of furniture were two chairs, one of which she occupied. Nothing else. It looked more like a hotel room, than a bedroom.

'_Well, I still don't know where the heck I am; in a hotel, manor, forest or mountain range. But I must still be in England. If _that _gives any reassurance. I've never thought that Malfoy could live in such a place. I mean he is filthy rich, he can afford much better. But if he couldn't, he must've simply refused to live in here! He always acted as if he owned the world, so smug and stuck up. With a stick deep in his arse, yeh._

_But what is with him now? He looked mad or something, but not crazy, more like desperate, haunted. Where is he, by the way? Now I want to see Malfoy, willingly. Merlin, I am going crazy too. _'

The door opened again and Malfoy stepped in, hurriedly closing it behind him. He looked even more shaken up than before, even his hair was in disorder.

"I don't know if it is fortunate for you, but it is certainly unfortunate for me, because it is the second option, meaning you won't die in the near future." Ginny sighed in relief. "Don't be so giddy about it, it only means that you die a bit later," he snapped. "Now first things first. Do you know what this is?" Malfoy asked, showing her a slender piece of mahogany wood.

"My wand!"

"Yes, your wand." He snapped it in two and Ginny screamed with horror. "Now you don't have a wand. Now you are not a witch, but Ginny Weasley, who was put under my care until further notice. And that is the only thing you are. You are nothing now." All that was said in an indifferent monotone voice. As if he didn't give the slightest damn about her death or life. Well, he probably didn't.

"Why keep me if I am nothing?" Ginny asked in a tone that showed she was quite something. Something hard to deal with.

"You can ask the Dark Lord tomorrow, if you dare, of course," he finished with a malicious smirk.

"I am meeting Voldemort tomorrow? Why?"

The sharp wand again found the way to her neck. "Don't address the Dark Lord like this, you wench!"

"If _you_ are afraid of saying his name, why must I be?" Ginny spat.

"Because with this attitude you'll die sooner!" The wand tip left her throat, but he still stood quite near.

"Do you have a killing wish or something? You use words somehow connected to Death almost in every sentence."

"Let's say that this is a philosophy of this place. Speaking of this place, you'll live here, in this room." After noticing her shocked expression, Malfoy smirked with smugness. "You thought you'd be given a spare room? You are not a guest here, Weasley; you are a prisoner, thus you must be watched over." '_And only Founders know why it should be me of all people. I have tons of work as it is._'

A small bed appeared in a free corner of the roomIt looked more like a couch than a bed, it was so small. "You will sleep here. The bathroom is through that door." He pointed to the door behind which Ginny assumed was the bathroom during her previous observation. With another wave of his wand the ropes disappeared.

"Stand up." Ginny didn't move an inch. "I said stand up, dammit!" The same reaction from Ginny, or I better say, no reaction whatsoever. "You want to do it the hard way, Weasley? You want to fight? What for? To win this petite argument? You can sit for as long as you wish: you'll bother me less this way anyway." Malfoy turned around, went to the table and started to look through the parchments, making notes here and there.

When ten minutes passed, Ginny began to feel stupid. '_Well, it really was a petite argument. What did I want to prove with winning it? That I am a gryffindor, that I am tough and strong? The only thing I did prove is that I am just a stupid and scared girl. And I am neither stupid nor scared; Especially of Draco bloody Malfoy. But he _is _a Death Eater and I don't have a wand. I won't have a wand till I get out of here. Damn, I hate to give up without even starting a fight, but I have no other choice._' Ginny Weasley stretched (her body got a bit stiff from sitting motionlessly for so long) and stood up.

'_Good girl_.' "So you finally decided to obey. You made the right choice. A lot depends on which choice you make here. Preferably the right one. Now come here." Ginny wordlessly made a few steps in his direction, stopping when there were four feet between them.

Malfoy moved to the center of the room, taking his wand out on the way. He pointed it at Ginny and to a corner with the bed then back at Ginny and another corner; the procedure continued until all eight corners were covered. When he stopped chanting, shiny golden strings appeared, connecting Ginny to the corners of the room. Within a moment they disappeared.

"Now you are bound to this room, meaning it is impossible for you to escape. Now I permit you to go and sit for as long as you want."

"Next thing you'll tell me to call you master," Ginny snapped, really angry by his attitude towards her; Like she was some thing that could be put on a shelf when not used.

"No, I won't."

"Out of the kindness of your heart, I presume?" Ginny said with sarcasm.

"No, it makes me old."

"It makes me old," she mocked under her breath. "Stupid Malfoy." She marched to her new bed and soundly sat down. After half an hour she started to get uncomfortably bored. "Hey, Malfoy!"

"What?" he snapped, without looking away from his papers.

"I know you are all business, but what am _I_ to do? I can't just sit here during my whole stay in this place."

"And what do you suggest you can do?" Such a simple question sounded like an insult from his mouth.

"Well, I can be useful."

"Well yes, you can."

His naughty look didn't have any hidden meaning. "Not in this way, you pervert!!! Why do men always think about sex first?!" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes.

"Because we are men?" Malfoy suggested, but there was a slight playfulness in his voice.

"Anyway, what did _you_ think first?"

"Well, I can clean, wash, do chores… You know, women's stuff," she replied with a shrug.

"We have House Elves for this here, but if you are so eager to join them, I don't mind."

"And I am sure you won't mind me asking where this 'here' exactly is? Because this room can't just hang somewhere in open space."

"It is a castle with a lot of rooms like this."

"Care to elaborate?"

"No. You are not supposed to know where it is, remember?" Malfoy remarked like scolding a small child.

"I don't want to know exactly where it is, it won't help me. I am bound to this room, remember?" Ginny mocked him back.

'_She mocked me! That bint! I just know she'll be the death of me. It was a doubt in the beginning, but I now I am certain. What is it? Another testing?_'

"A castle?" Ginny continued. "Well, it is at least something. Is it Vo-" a piercing glare from the table's occupant, "Ok, ok, the Dark Lord's lair or headquarters?

"You ask so many questions, Weasley. You'll be given a perfect opportunity tomorrow," Malfoy said in a dismissive tone.

"You mean when I meet Him?"

"Yes, when you meet your Lord."

"He isn't _my_ Lord," she protested with offence.

"He will be."

"But I don't want to," Ginny weaned, pressing herself to the wall, as if increasing the space between her and Malfoy would help to prevent her becoming a Death Eater.

"You don't have a choice. Your life was spared for some unknown reason. You must be grateful."

"Maybe it was spared only to give me a worse death."

"Maybe. But you still don't have a say in this matter. Even every House Elf has a Dark Mark here. If you are on this side you are also to have one. There is no other option."

"But, but, but…"

"No buts, Weasley," Malfoy barked, taking his glance from the papers for the first time. "You'll do whatever you are told and when you are told! Got it? You don't have a wand thus you don't have a will! And shut the Hell up already, I am doing serious business here!"

After another glare full of hate and despise, Ginny really shut up, Malfoy stood up and went to the map marking something there with his wand. She felt she was pinned to the wall with that look. It instantly reminded her of Malfoy at school with his smirks and glares. She'd never seen a smile on his face or even a happy expression.

The following two hours were spent in complete silence, broken only by Malfoy's mutterings from time to time. Soon Ginny's eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. Somewhere in the middle of the night she seemed to hear a strange sound, like the air was beaten out of something.

But she decided it was just her imagination.


	2. No Turning Back

**Chapter Two: No Turning Back**

Waking up the next morning, Ginny found herself alone. There was no sign of Malfoy in the room. She wasn't disappointed, but wasn't all giddy either. The feeling of uncertainty started steadily, turning into one of dread. Why was she here? What for? And why, in nine Hells, Malfoy of all people? He said he would find the answers to her questions today. Ginny swallowed slowly. She will meet Tom today. The concentration of all her fears and nightmares. The mere thought of him sent shivers down her spine.

She didn't know when the time of the meeting was, but not before she visited the bathroom anyway. She found out that the bathroom wasn't very fancy either; a bit better than the one at the Borrow, but still very common. Ginny was still was puzzled by the fact that Malfoy could help with all that petite furnishings. It was so pitiful that there wasn't even a clock on any wall. Ginny hated the feeling of being completely disoriented in time and space.

Her sufferings were ended by Malfoy's return. "It is time to go." He looked her up and down and nodded with satisfaction. "Follow me."

Ginny did as she was told. It was the first time she had left her bedroom and that's why she couldn't help but look around. They were going through a dim hallway lit by torches, but not enough to see any detail. They went through four narrow corridors and reached large iron doors, which must be impossible to move single-handedly.

The doors opened on their own accord and a squeaky hiss greeted them. "Oh, Draco, my boy. You are right on time as usual." It was said like he owned the said 'boy', completely.

Ginny followed Malfoy inside, but her movements were stiffly inaccurate – fear paralyzed her. Malfoy neared a throne looking armchair, went down on one knee and bowed his head. His movements were exact from frequency, brief but dignified. Ginny rapidly looked around, she couldn't look at Him, into his bloody red eyes. She felt those eyes piercing into her mind, into her very soul at that moment. During her frantic observation she noticed everyone in the room wore Death Eater robes and masks. Malfoy didn't. His bright blond hair drastically stood out in this sea of darkness.

"Come closer, Ginevra," came Voldemort's hiss, but it was clear that voice contained power. Power to move you closer, even if your body doesn't want to.

Ginny wasn't an exception. Yes, she was scared. Scared out of her mind. In front of her was the reason for hundreds of murders, the death of her own daddy. But she had no choice, no say in the matter. She had no reason or weapons to fight right now. She locked her gaze with the Dark Lord's.

"Why am I here? What is the reason of my being kept in captivity here?" Ginny asked clearly. She wanted to sound steadier and maybe even powerful, but still couldn't overcome the overwhelming horror.

'_Holy shit!_' Malfoy exclaimed in his thoughts. '_She did it! She dared to ask! She asked even before he managed to say anything. Good girl._'

"Miss Weasley," Voldemort began harshly. It was obvious in his tone he didn't like initiative of ones below him. "I understand your impatience and worry," he continued in a sickly sweet voice. "It is completely natural to wonder about my reasoning to keep you alive and even bring you here, to my castle, the whereabouts of which must be kept gravely secret to my enemies, even if they are only a small bunch of fools!"

Yet his voice betrayed him in the end; Ginny understood that even if the Order of the Phoenix were a bunch of fools, they were quite a pain in Voldemort's arse. "You are part of a very special plan of mine, Miss Weasley, but I prefer to keep the details of it to myself for now. But even despite all this you are also a pureblood – this is the only reason I'll give you today. Draco must have informed you that there are some certain technical obligations to every inhabitant of the castle. Give me your left hand. Your loyalty will be tested later of course."

"I think testing of my loyalty is completely unnecessary," Ginny stated. "My loyalties will always lie where they are now – with my family and the Light Side. If you want me to change sides then you should kill me right now. It won't ever happen. I am agreeing to be marked only because I have no other choice if I want to stay alive and I do. I am your prisoner and I must submit, but my heart and soul will belong only to me." After such a monologue she stretched out her left hand practically under Voldemort's nose, as if telling. '_Get on with it, I have a lot of other things to do._'

The Dark Mark was placed on her slender milky forearm, destroying the last hope to ever return and have a normal life. Her arm was burning with pain, but she didn't feel it. She felt her heart breaking into pieces from betrayal of her family, her Cause, her believes. Yes, it was the only chance to survive, but nobody will understand her position if she escapes or finds a way to go back. No, she will be 'marked'; end of story.

"You may go, Miss Weasley. From now on you are completely under Draco's care," the Dark Lord finished the ritual in his possessive tone. Now she was his.

'_Completely under my care_,' Malfoy mocked. '_In reality it means, 'She is your problem now. Her problems are your problems and if you don't solve them you'll get punished.' Fuck. Why me?_'

One more time, Ginny followed Malfoy. The procession of all the Death Eaters left the hall and one by one they dispersed in the labyrinth of the castle hallways. Ginny could bet she had felt somebody touching her butt. She was 100 sure. Of course, it wasn't a gesture of reassurance.

'_The same door, the same room. Merlin, will I ever live through this?_'

"Sit down," Malfoy ordered, when they entered. Ginny went to the armchair she occupied before and sat in it. "There are some things I must tell you and then we will plan your activities." Ginny just shrugged indifferently. "Firstly, I am to clear out where we stand. You were put under my care. You probably understand that the word 'care' is different here. I am not your protector, brother or friend; I am controlling you in the interests of the Dark Lord. That's all. Is it clear?"

"No."

"Maaaan."

"Firstly, last time I checked, I was a woman. Secondly, I don't usually get in such situations and that's why I still don't understand your role in this mess."

"In real life everything works like this: you live and eat with me. I tell you what to do and you do it without any questions. My task is to keep you alive, nothing more. This statement concerns that fact that if, for example, Crabb attacks you and rapes you, it isn't my business." Ginny paled slightly. Malfoy cast a few silencing charms on the door, walls and even windows. Some of them Ginny recognized to be very strong.

"Now about the rules of this community." He locked his cold eyes with hers. "Here everyone is for himself. Asking for help is a weakness; if you don't know how to do something – figure it out on your own. Don't talk to the Dark lord before you are spoken to. But the most important thing is that you are watched all the time. I watch you here, beyond this room – everybody else. The slightest slip of yours will be reported to the Dark Lord. I hope you can gather that breaking any of these rules is followed by a punishment and it isn't simply a school detention. Is it understandable now?"

"I…I…" Ginny couldn't speak because she was so shaken up. She knew that the Dark side was like another world, but everything was forced on her so roughly that her only impression was that everyone here was simply mad. She didn't want any of this, but now she was a part of this madly strange world and had to act respectfully. Even if she hated it with passion. "Yes, I understand."

"Good. Now we can move to your daily life. I haven't paid attention to your school accomplishments," Ginny grunted, "so I don't know exactly what you are capable of. Do you have a brain, Weasley?"

"I think, I do."

"You think?"

"I am _sure _that I am quite intelligent."

"Let's hope you are right. Frankly speaking, you, Weasley, are a huge stick in my arse right now. I don't want to interrupt anything just because you'd fallen on me from the stormy sky. You are going with me tomorrow and we will see what you can _really_ do." With that he started to move to the bathroom, but Ginny stopped him.

"Wait! Can I ask you a few questions?"

"No."

"I am not asking for help. I just want to clarify some things."

Malfoy sighed. He sounded tired to Ginny. "Ok, but be quick."

"Are there a lot of women in the castle?"

"Where did that come from?"

"I simply asked. You can just say yes or no."

"There are quite a few. The conditions they are kept in are similar to yours." Ginny opened her mouth for another question, but was instantly silenced. "No, you can't meet them. The Dark Lord is certain that if women gathered together they would've come up with some crazy plan of escape, and because they are women, they will succeed because they are crazy enough for it."

"Oh. Why are they here then?"

"I don't know. Maybe for breeding, maybe just for a good company. I am not in contact with their guardians."

"Breeding?"

"Yes, breeding. Maybe, I was mistaken, hoping for you to have some brains."

"You mean, like giving birth to children?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"Exactly."

"But that's horrible! Why them!"

"They are purebloods. As you are. The new generation must appear somehow, mustn't it?"

"You want to say, they will be forced to give birth?" Ginny asked, utterly shocked by the whole ordeal, moreover by the conversational tone in which Malfoy was speaking about it.

"I am not informed about the details. It is not my department. All I know is that project hasn't been started yet. It isn't of top priority now."

"Project? You are referring to all this sickening women's torture as a project! I knew that Death Eaters were inhuman, but after this they are animals!"

"Don't forget now you are one of these animals, Weasley," Malfoy snapped with irritation. "I am going to the bathroom and after that to bed. We are rising at seven tomorrow, so be ready. Nox."

With that he proceeded to the bathroom, leaving Ginny in the darkness. Only a small nightstand lamp was giving her light to move to her bed. She sat down on it in deep thought.

'_I don't understand anything anymore. This is an utterly different world. I don't belong here. I don't want to belong here. But I want to live. Merlin, what mess I've got myself into?_'

Her sleep that night was again accompanied by that strange sound of air beaten out of something.

The next morning Ginny met with grumbling and cursing. She couldn't say that she wasn't a morning person, but seven in the morning wasn't a very comfortable time for her to get up. Actually, it was even earlier because she needed to use the bathroom before Malfoy. He remarked that he wouldn't wait for her at any rate. He didn't say that with such words, but the message was clear.

They again went through numerous hallways which were dark and creepy; they all looked similar; there were no paintings on the walls to somehow identify the locations.

"Remember the way, Weasley. You'll use it a lot."

'_And I just thought that there is no way to do it. He torments me even without insulting me or my family as he did at school. Slimy bastard. There must be some trick to orientate in here, but he won't tell me of course_.'

They stopped in front of a middle sized iron door. After entering, Ginny found herself in a well lit hall with a high ceiling. The left wall was completely covered with a map similar to the one in the bedroom, but much bigger and more detailed. On the right wall was a map of Europe full of arrows of different colors.

But the most surprising feature of the room was the back wall with a huge opening near the ceiling. I called it an opening, because there was no glass there. It was an enormous hole in the wall, through which dozens of owls were coming. They ditched their letters into a large bin under the opening and flew away without a second glance. Ginny's eyes sparkled at the sight.

"Don't even think about writing to your relatives, Weasley. There are certain barriers in the owls' exit."

The sparkle dimmed slightly. "I wasn't planning on doing it. For them I am better dead than with this." She looked with disgust at the Dark Mark on her arm.

"What a loving family you have."

"My life isn't more important than the Cause they are fighting for," Ginny said in return, head high.

Malfoy smirked. "Anyway. This is my working place. I spend the majority of my time here. So will you." Ginny sighed with irritation. "Your most important job is not to bother me while I am working. The other one is to sort out those incoming letters by language. There are five of them: English, French, Spanish, German and Russian. Every language has its respectful table, put the letters there. You may begin." Without another word, Malfoy left her and sat down behind a table that looked like his main working place.

Ginny sighed. '_It is getting more and more exciting with every moment_,' she thought with sarcasm. '_Sorting the letters it is_.'

She neared the bin and gasped. There were hundreds of letters there and they kept coming! Ginny took a few letters, looked through them and didn't understand a thing! '_Wait a minute. I don't speak all those languages! I certainly know English and a bit of French due to Fleur, but how will I differ Spanish from German! Man, what a mess. And I can't ask Malfoy because I must figure out everything on my own, as he said. Damn._' She looked around the room and her glance fell on a bookcase. '_Maybe I can find something of use in there._'

Ginny went to the bookcase and scanned the covers of the books. '_English-German-English Dictionary. Bingo!_' She found out that the main part of the bookcase was occupied with dictionaries of various languages. Half an hour later she had no problem with identifying needed languages. With a satisfied expression on her face, she marched to the dangerous bin and began her work.

Behind his table, Malfoy smirked into his papers. '_She does have a brain after all. Then it will be easier for her to adjust._'

He didn't fancy or like her in any way, he didn't hate her either: he didn't have strength for such strong emotion. But he still pitied her. She was taken from her family and thrown into a completely different world, which she despised, fought against. Being a slave to a mad dictator wasn't a life in a dreamland. He knew this from experience and not a pleasant one.

While Malfoy was busy with some mysterious business, Ginny had a dilemma of her own. The bin was almost empty, all letters were placed neatly on their tables, but there were still some in the bottom and Ginny couldn't reach them. '_If only I had my wand there would be no problem at all, but I don't. I can't climb in because then I won't get out, if only…_'

Ginny headed towards Malfoy. "Malfoy." No answer. "Malfoy!"

"Is it urgent?"

"Yes. Do you have a two-sided ladder?"

"What?"

"I have a little problem. I am not asking you for help, mind you. I am asking if you have a thing that is a solution to my problem."

"Don't get all defensive. I just didn't hear the first time." After a wave of his wand, a ladder appeared just like the one Ginny needed.

"Thanks." '_How could he not hear me if I was standing right beside him? Stupid git_.'

After finishing her construction, she emptied the bin and finished her job. With nothing else to do, she found a chair and sat down, watching Malfoy work. It was quite boring because the only thing he did was read the letters and write something in a big book that lay on his table. When he began the German letters, Ginny's stomach grumbled loudly. Only now she realized that she hadn't eaten anything since her kidnapping.

"Hey Malfoy! When is the eating time?"

"At eleven, four and nine. Meals are served in the Dining Hall," he answered in between writing.

'_Eleven,_' Ginny looked around and again didn't find any clock. "How do you know when it is time to go if you don't have a clock?"

Malfoy slammed the table with his left fist suddenly. "Like this," he hissed through clenched teeth.

A moment later she understood his words. Her left arm was burning – the Mark was calling.

After going through another labyrinth of corridors, Ginny was lead into a spacious room with four long tables and one small one near the back. The setting instantly reminded her of Hogwarts. Old dear Hogwarts and its crucial fate. She heard that after it was attacked not a stone was left from it. Absolutely nothing.

She followed Malfoy to the very right table and took a seat right next to him somewhere in the middle. Ginny noticed that there were other Death Eaters in the hall wearing full Death Eaters' regalia. They sat in their places, some talked, and some just stared into space. The tables were absolutely bare, even cutlery was missing. People in black robes continued to pour through the door, sitting down behind the tables in exact places. Ginny understood that everyone had his concrete position in the room, a hierarchy of sorts.

Her resourceful watching was interrupted by someone roughly pushing her. Ginny gave Malfoy a What-the-Hell look when he practically shoved her face on the table. The commotion was caused by the appearance of the main figure of the castle – Lord Voldemort. All the Death Eaters bowed so low that their temples almost touched the tables' desks.

When Voldemort got comfortable in his mighty armchair, he made a dismissive gesture and uttered in what he considered to be a tone of royalty, "You may sit."

After falling down on the bench, Ginny thought she was going to be sick. The food that appeared even increased the illness. '_Is it just a game to Voldemort? To be a king to people who work for him? To own them? To move as he pleases? But that's disgusting! I hate him even more now!_'

"Eat. You won't have an opportunity to do it till four and there is a lot of work to do."

"Sorting out more letters?" Ginny grunted.

"Exactly."


	3. Life Is Going On

**Chapter Three: Life Is Going On.**

The following week was spent by Ginny in the same fashion. They woke up at seven, went to the office as she called it, then to breakfast, back to the office, to dinner, to the office, to the Dining Hall for the last meal and their last stop was the bedroom. Only when Malfoy went to bed did Ginny dare to use the bathroom not to disturb him. She didn't care about his peace of course, but his anger.

Her 'work' was mostly mechanic, so she didn't feel any interest towards it. Nevertheless, she still wondered how someone could receive so many letters. There were hundreds of them; the bin didn't stand empty for more than an hour. Ginny had read some English letters just to understand what was going on, but to her, even written in English, it all seemed to be hieroglyphs. There were mostly figures, but she didn't have the slightest idea about their meaning. She was an independent person by nature and liked to be in control of the situation she was in. Of course, now it was impossible to have any control, but to just know what she was doing wouldn't be that bad.

During her routine daily life, Ginny had a lot of time to observe the ones around her. Her main object was Draco Malfoy of course. The most striking detail was that he never wore Death Eater's robes or a mask. His robes were also black but definitely of higher quality. Ginny didn't touch them or anything, Merlin, or worse, Malfoy forbids, but the sparkling material talked for itself. When she asked him about it, Malfoy only said, "I prefer it more this way."

She thought of Malfoy as strange. The reason for it was that he wasn't like the person he was at school. He hadn't changed for good of course, but there was something about him Ginny couldn't comprehend. He intrigued her. They were living together for Gryffindor's sake! It was absolutely natural for her to know the man she was living with. Malfoy, on the contrary, showed no sign of getting to know her. She seemed to be only a bargain to him, something like a bigger House elf and nothing more.

Yes, she received three sets of clothing, but not because he cared about her appearance or about the disastrous state of her old clothes. He did it because she had a "right" to have them. She wasn't a slave, just a captured person so she had some privileges. Ginny wasn't ecstatic about this information, but felt a bit more alive in that castle of doom.

Ginny spent most of her time in the office and had plenty of opportunities to watch her observational object. Malfoy seemed to be on the edge all the time. He had three employees who worked through the English letters. He yelled at them almost every time they had any conversation. Ginny's sharp eye didn't miss the indifference of the workers. They didn't listen to their boss, as if they turned him off.

The overall opinion of the castle inhabitants about Draco Malfoy was utterly confusing Ginny. It wasn't openly spoken out – Ginny gathered it from bits of overheard conversations, sideways glances and whispers behind their backs.

Draco Malfoy wasn't welcomed in Voldemort's castle. It was absolutely obvious and nobody even tried to hide their negative attitude. Firstly, Ginny dealed with it like she did at school: nobody liked Malfoy there because he was an arrogant self-centered git, who ran to his daddy when he was in trouble. Why should she change her opinion now? Well, _she _didn't, but the others! Why did _others _dislike him so much? They are supposed to be his allies, not his friends, but at least not his enemies. He was one of them. He was a Death Eater like they were. Right?

She heard phrases like, "Why was she given to _him_? I could have so much fun with her! Instead she was given to that freak!" "One day that sucker will get what he deserves! And certainly not the post he is aiming at." "The Dark Lord surely overestimates him. He is nothing special."

And a lot more which black-mouthed him in every way. Once Ginny almost blew up when someone said, "What does he do to receive as such an honor? He just sits and does absolutely nothing!"

It was the last straw for Ginny. '_How can they say such things! He is working twelve hours for your damn Lord and you say he does nothing!_' Fortunately, she didn't say that out loud because she was pulled away by Malfoy straight into their room and given a strict lecture.

"Don't say anything before you are asked, especially if you don't agree with them. This is a protest and a protest means trouble and only trouble. If you want to wake up tomorrow keep your mouth shut!"

Yes, Ginny kept her mouth shut, but she was boiling inside. When it occurred to her that she was so worked up because she wanted to defend Draco bloody Malfoy, she cooled down a bit. Why did she want him to be appreciated in the first place? The only explanation she found was that her beliefs ran too deep and she couldn't stand when someone worked so hard and didn't get any credit for it, even if that someone was Draco Malfoy, the slimy git.

And hard he worked. Ginny was with him all the time, she knew everything from the first hands. He had blood shot eyes from lack of sleep; a thin body because he ate quickly and only had short bites here and there and then ran back to work. Ginny wondered how he was doing it. Maybe he had some stamina potion to give him strength? He seemed to be always running somewhere or on the run from something, Ginny couldn't quite place it yet; moving from one map to another, marking something in this book or in the other one. Always moving forward. Ginny really wanted to know his destination.

It was Friday night when Ginny finally readied herself to ask some questions when she was dropped from the edge into a freezing lake by a simple statement, "I am leaving tomorrow." Ginny only stared. "I do it every weekend. The last one was spared because you came and everything went upside down. I am going out of the country."

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked casually, but inside felt strangely lost.

"This week – to Germany. I change the country every week."

"Have a nice trip then," she breathed out.

"But you are still in my hands."

"You mean, you'll take me with you?"

'_Such a small thing and she is already shining._' But Ginny awaited another diving from a cliff. "No. You are staying here." Draco flopped down on her bed. "You have two options though: I can lock you in here or I'll leave the key for you."

A long pause followed his proposal. What to choose: small freedom or save being locked up? "I'll take the key."

"Are you sure? There are at least 500 Death Eaters with the Dark Lord in the lead behind this door, but nobody in here."

Ginny looked straight into his silver eyes. "I'll take the key."

"I told you that I am not your protector, especially if I am in another country. You will answer yourself for everything that happens with you out there."

"Why are you asking me to choose then? You could just lock me in without further notice."

"I want you to learn what the right choice is for you in this world." He tossed a small iron key onto the blanket. "Only you can walk in or out of this room. I will return on Monday. The work day starts at ten."

On Saturday she woke up late. What is the point of getting up at six if there in no need to go to work? Ginny lazily got out of bed, took a very long bath that at least partly took away the stress and pressure in her body. The Dark Mark hadn't burnt yet, so it wasn't past eleven. The moment the thought crossed her mind pain went through her left arm. '_You can get use to it after some time,_' was her resolution.

After debating about whether to go or not to breakfast (she was informed that the food would be delivered to the bedroom if she didn't appear in the Dining Hall), Ginny decided to go. She was still a member of the Order of the Phoenix, so she could do a bit of sneaking around while she was alone. It was the main reason Ginny wanted to be able to leave the room. She hadn't given up on the thought that she could escape or be rescued. If not, at least she could get some inside information.

The journey to the Dining Hall was unadventurous for Ginny, she already knew the way very well. Sometimes she thought she was blind, counting turns and doors to reach one place or another. She took her place at the table, smirking once more at the thought that if they had been in Hogwarts they would've been sitting at the Gryffindor table. Draco Malfoy at Gryffindor table! That's gross! But Malfoy wasn't with her today.

'_At least somebody was beside me._' She sighed heavily. '_Somebody, even if he is a crazy workaholic and not these gloating mugs, looking as if they want to eat me alive. Disgusting._'

Ginny noticed the man that was usually sitting to her right was already there, staring into the ceiling. She often wondered why he was here, but no word was shared between them. The place to her left remained empty until some bloke decided to sit there. "This place is already occupied," Ginny said with a sweet smile, but her eyes showed, "Move any further and I'll kill you." The seat remained empty.

Ginny mechanically did the ceremonial part of greeting Voldemort. She didn't put any meaning into the motion so there was no betraying of her Cause. At least Ginny thought that way.

After breakfast she planned to wander around to find some entrances at least. There was a possibility to be lost, but Ginny prayed it wouldn't happen to her. She had brains after all. Ginny started her excursion with a hallway nearest to the Hall. She walked for several hours, but hadn't found anything similar to an exit. She took a large piece of parchment and a quill with some ink, so after her walk she had a pretty decent map of the first floor, well any floor, where the Dining Hall was.

While looking at the walls, Ginny accommodated a strange feeling. Not only were they all the same, but some parts were covered with darkness. Literally. Not with black material, but with impenetrable darkness. As if somebody wanted to hide some passage or even a whole part of the castle. This discovery unnerved Ginny. Maybe behind one such place was the exit!

Another problem was that Ginny hadn't spotted any stairs even once. How did they move between the stores then? So many questions and no answers and moreover no source to get information from.

Suddenly she heard footsteps coming towards her. The hallway was completely bare: no armor or a statue to hide behind. '_What am I afraid of? He will pass me, I will pass him and each of us will be on his own way. I still know some below belt punches for which I don't need my wand, if he tries anything._'

And Ginny proceeded with her walk towards the sound of footsteps, keeping the casualness in the rhythm of her steps. After a few moments a black siluette of a figure came into view. '_The corridors are so purely lit that I consider myself more a mole underground than a human being sometimes. Ok, ten feet, eight, six. I've put my hood up, maybe he'll think I am just another Death Eater and won't notice me._'

But that day wasn't Ginny's. In a matter of seconds she was pressed to the wall with a large hand covering her mouth.

"I've finally got you. You are quite a runner. Skipping from corridor to corridor all day long. Bad girl. Very bad girl," he spoke huskily, pressing his body to hers. Ginny started to feel sick. "We can have some fun, right? Nobody is around, so no-one can interrupt us."

'_Are you nuts!_' Ginny screamed in her head.

"You won't get any fun with that caretaker of ours, he is so boooooooring. We can do things you've never imagined. Ditch that git and be with me."

His hand on her rear finally shook Ginny out of her motionless stupor. '_What the fuck is he babbling about?_' "And take your hands off my butt!" Her cry was muffled due to the hand that was still preventing her from saying anything that she thought about him.

"You don't like the position, dear? Sorry, but I prefer to be on top."

His hand snaked somehow under her long skirt and was quickly nearing some private areas. All Ginny's female instincts kicked in with a straight kick at the attacker's groin. The move didn't give the needed effect because she didn't have enough space for a good swing. The man doubled over with a pained but enraged expression on his face.

"You bitch! You'll pay for this!" A sonorous slap was placed on Ginny's cheek. The hit was so hard that her head banged onto the wall.

'_I still can't move!_' Ginny thought frantically, trying to find a way to escape and finding none.

"So you want to do it the hard way, do you? I can easily grant you with such a pleasure," he slurred with a dangerous sparkle in his eyes.

'_Merlin, why am I such a fool? He told me to stay in the room. Just don't leave the bloody room and you won't get into any uncomfortable situations, dammit. But nooooo, Ginny must get into top secret mode and sneak around for the bloody Order which don't give a damn about you and your capabilities. And now I will be raped. So stupid! In some hallway, by a crazy, ugly, smelly Death Eater who is pinning me to the wall. If only I had my wand! _'

The said Death eater minded very serious business, grabbing her in inappropriate places. Ginny fought as much as she could, she was still a woman and her honor was precious to her. But her struggle was in vain, he was too big and strong for her. When she thought nothing could be done to prevent the horrible act, the man stiffened, made a disappointed grimace and threw her across the corridor.

"Must be kept a virgin, dammit. What the fuck for?" With that he stormed off, leaving panting Ginny to slide down onto the floor.

She hadn't even registered his words; she just sat there feeling dirty and disgusted with the whole ordeal. But not the raping made her feel sick again, but the shoving. Ginny understood that even if her attacker had succeeded, she would've been left in the same position: lying on the floor like a used thing which the owner has no interest in already. She stood up groggily and headed to the bedroom. No way in Hell she would leave it until Monday.


	4. Surprises at Work

**Chapter Four: Surprises at Work**

The weekend passed uneventfully for Ginny. She had locked herself up in the bedroom right after the attack and didn't even pip out. Having nothing to do, she decided to check out the mysterious papers, which lay on Malfoy's work table. He won't say anything if she just take a look, right? He wasn't there at that moment so… So Ginny touched the table. Just after the moment she registered that the majority of them were in English, a high watt electric shock went through her.

She jumped from the table as it was a basilisk. "Damn Malfoy! Damn papers! Arch!" She fell onto the bed, hurting all over and wept herself to sleep with only one thought, going through her head, '_For how long will I suffer being in this crazy castle?_'

At ten o'clock sharp on Monday Ginny was at the doors of the office. Miraculously she woke up in time and managed to get ready on a super speed. She was in such a hurry, because was already tired of Malfoy's constant yelling at her after she made even a tiny mistake. At those moments she felt like a small child, who knew nothing about life in general and basic logic in particular. With all this behind her back Ginny stepped into the office, firmly closing the door.

She made the first step, but was instantly rooted to the spot by the sight that met her. Instead of a smug and busy looking Malfoy, she was met by somebody, who was holding his head in his hands and was clenching it convulsingly.

The person had the same high-quality robes, unique blond hair and most importantly was sitting behind Malfoy's table. It was the main indicator, because Malfoy strictly forbid to occupy his table. '_Probably has the same hex as on the one in the bedroom. So this _is _Malfoy. But why is he in such a state? How can he be in such a state? He is a Malfoy and Malfoys don't fail,_' Ginny mocked Malfoy in her head. '_Maybe only in Quiddich against Gryffindor._' She couldn't help but giggle. '_Whatever happened, it isn't my business. Probably just a hangover from the previous night._' Coming to such conclusions, Ginny wordlessly went to the letters' bin and started to sort them out.

The next hour passed in silence. Then the Mark called and they went down to breakfast. When Ginny headed to their usual places, Malfoy grabbed her arm and started to drag her somewhere. "We have another places to sit now," he grunted. Their new seats were on the opposite the previous ones, facing the wall.

"Why did we change places?" Ginny asked.

"We don't change anything here. The Dark Lord does," Malfoy answered in the same grumpy tone.

"It's not the point and you know it," she said, clearly stating that she'd get the answer from him for sure.

"I was demoted. I thought it was clear: we moved down the hierarchy."

"What were you demoted for?" Before he could object, she continued, "I think it is my business due to the fact that my status had changed as well."

"Your status?" he mocked, as if saying that such a thing was nonexistent.

"Yes, my status. I didn't do anything wrong, why should I be moved down with you? I could have stayed where I was."

"Look, who is talking! If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have sat there in the first place. And if you are so eager to gain a status, I can put you behind the very first table and we'll see when you reach this very place. Maybe in a century or two."

Their 'friendly' conversation was interrupted by the appearance of the Dark Lord in the Hall. It continued after they entered the empty office. The fact really surprised Ginny – the whole group was usually present after breakfast already.

"Where are the others?" she asked Malfoy's back.

"They don't come on Monday."

"Why?"

"Is it your favorite word for today?" he snapped.

"No, I just wanted to know," Ginny replied, rising her hands in a giving up gesture. '_Being with him in the same room is like sitting on a barrel of gun powder._'

"They have a day off."

"Why?"

Malfoy gave her a glare that could put her twelve feet under. Six feet were for amateurs. "It is the order of things here," he hissed and hid behind a large volume, trying to avoid her questions.

"I am just wondering why the personnel rests longer than their chief. Shouldn't it be the other way around?" Ginny continued her conversation to the volume.

"Weasley," came a dangerous hiss from the said chief, "shut the Hell up! I have had two crazy days in Germany and now you are bothering me to know end! Do your job and I'll do mine. That is what a normal work day is about."

"Must have a big party then," Ginny muttered under her breath.

Hearing her irrational phrase, he couldn't help asking, "What are you babbling about, Weasley?"

"Your weekend, what else? Firstly, you have a terrible hangover and then you refer to your weekend as a crazy one. I think, it only means one thing: you partied two days straight."

'_Is it a hint of jealousy I hear? She doesn't even imagine how wrong she is._' "I thought my trip was crazy, but you are even crazier. I am sorry to disappoint you, but it was purely business, leisure activities excluded."

Ginny finally managed to make an eye contact with him and understood he hadn't been joking. Back circles under his eyes, a vein pulsating on his temple, hair in disorder – the whole appearance is weary and shaken up, as if one moment he is somewhere on the train and the other moment he is here.

Suddenly Ginny blew up. "How can they do this to you! They have three days off and you have none! It is utterly unfair!"

"And you so care, Weasley," Malfoy remarked sarcastically.

"I don't care about you personally, but the situation in general, so don't flatter yourself," Ginny said in return, cooling down a bit.

"And I just dream about you caring about me."

"Really?"

"That was sarcasm, you stupid girl, pure sarcasm. And by the way, it is past noon and there hasn't been done anything yet. Hurry up with French letters. I am going to France next weekend, so I need them urgently."

When Ginny turned to him he was already engrossed in his papers, so she addressed his back instead. "So you don't really have any fun?"

"No."

"You don't have days offs?"

"No."

"You don't relax."

"No."

"You don't have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"The only thing you do is work?"

"Yes."

"The only thing you have is work?"

"Yes."

"The only thing you care about is work?"

"Yes."

"Are you _insane_?"

"Not yet."

"Do you understand that you are heading right into that direction?"

"And do you want to be my psychiatrist?"

"Do I look like I am crazy?" He gave her a look that clearly told her about his positive answer. "Ok, maybe I am a bit now after being in your company for so long. And because of this I have one very insane idea," Ginny squealed with childish mischief in her eyes. "Do you have a superior?"

"What are you playing at, Weasley?"

"I asked you a question. Or are you ashamed to be beneath somebody?"

"My only superior is the Dark Lord," Malfoy answered not without a pride.

"Can I contact him through the Mark or something like it?"

Malfoy's eyebrows disappeared under his hair. He was truly astonished by the turn of events. He just knew that wouldn't go as usual when he woke up from a two hour nap in the German Ministry of Magic. Firstly, he just had that strange feeling and secondly she was there. He still couldn't understand why she had been given exactly to him. Was she a part of some conspiracy to make him fail? And now she wanted to contact the Dark Lord, as if to floo her friend, just as easy.

"You don't have a wand to do it," he said at last.

"But you have." Ginny stretched out her left arm, taking the sleeve up to make the Dark Mark visible.

A firebolt went through Ginny's arm after Malfoy touched it. Then she felt like something entered her head. "Pleasure to hear you call, Ginevra," the Dark Lord's squeaky hiss sounded in her head. "You can talk or simply think. I'll hear you both ways."

"My Lord," Ginny began, deciding to greet Voldemort according to local standards, "I have a small request. As you ordered I was put under the guidance of Draco Malfoy, who works very hard for your benefit. Just today I've found out that even if his employees had three days off in a row, he had none. And this is my request for you, sir. Can you, as his only superior, give him a day off on Mondays?"

"That is quite an unusual request, Ginevra. You see, I am not particularly satisfied with Draco's work right now. He brought me bad, very bad news form Germany. But I will fulfill your request. Draco will be free, but only for today."

"Thank you, my Lord," Ginny said with contained joy. The next moment the connection disappeared.

"Who knew that you can sweet talk, Weasley?" Malfoy uttered with a tiny hint of admiration.

Ginny shook her head to clear it from the alien presence. "Shut up. I've just got you a free day."

"I didn't ask you to."

"Well, I asked and you _superior_ gave it to you," she spat to his face, tired from his stubbornness and closemindness.

"And what do you propose I do on this blessed day?" he sneered.

"Firstly, we will go to the bedroom."

"Oh, that is getting interesting already," Malfoy interrupted with a naughty expression.

"And then _you _go to bed and rest," she finished with a tone that put to an end any inappropriate thoughts.

After a lot of complaining from Malfoy and a lot of grumbling from Ginny when he started to collect papers from his worktable, they finally reached the bedroom. Malfoy positioned himself on his bed and stared at the ceiling. "So what now, you relaxing genius?"

"You can go to sleep."

"I can't go to sleep. I've readied myself for a whole working day. I won't be able to go to sleep in at least ten hours."

"So there _is_ a stamina potion!"

"No, only the one that prevents me from going to sleep."

"Oh." She paused for a moment, not knowing what to say. "How was your trip?" He gave her a questioning look. "I am trying to make a decent conversation, but if you plan to just lie there and count holes in the ceiling you can proceed," Ginny said with a pout.

"There is nothing to tell, really. I checked previously received information, made negotiations with different people, arranged a number of deals, nothing interesting," Malfoy replied, without taking his eyes from his staring point.

"Where did the bad news came from then?"

"The Dark Lord didn't like my report on the overall situation in Germany."

'_And your answers are overall also, mister Malfoy. Always hiding everything from me. But then, why should he inform me about his business? I am just a prisoner, an enemy after all. This information must be top secret, especially for me._'

Despite her opinion, Malfoy continued in a discussing tone, "The problem is that the German wizarding community is very tough. Surviving two muggle World Wars taught them a lot; they can easily protect themselves. So the threats of the Dark Lord don't scare them, even his global guillotine act didn't make them submit."

"What act?"

"You haven't heard about it? It was all over the papers about two months ago. One day the top officials of the Ministries of Magic around Europe were found dead, lying at their houses with their families."

"He ordered them murdered, just like that!" Ginny exclaimed, a dozen of emotions running through her: shock, disgust, indignation, fear, hate…

"Of course not. It would've been pointless. Just a mass murder with Death Eaters at fault. All the Ministries were sent an ultimatum with the Dark Lord's demands and threats in the case of disagreeing. They disagreed."

"But why the families? Wasn't it enough just to… kill the Ministry workers?"

"It is safer that way. Nobody will seek revenge for the death of a family member. We have enough problems as it is."

"There are still people who fight back," Ginny said, warming up inside. The feeling of knowing that there were people who thought the same way she did, fought for the same cause. The Order wasn't alone, other countries were fighting too and if only their forces could be united…

Her daydreaming was interrupted by the 'calling' to dinner. When they reached their table, it turned out that Malfoy was again moved down the local 'corporate ladder,' just a few feet but still.

"What the Hell?" Ginny asked bewildered.

"I asked for a day off, remember?" Malfoy asked bitterly in return.

"But how are these facts connected?"

"I can't ask for a treat when I've made a mistake; I only can get punished, but I did ask and I was punished again," he recited neutrally, but Ginny could hear contained rage in his voice.

"Wait a minute, _I_ asked for the day off, not you."

"It doesn't matter. You said I was tired or something and I can't be tired. The reason can easily be found. Demoted two times in one day! Five months of work in the waste bin! Thank you for your charity, Weasley," he snapped at her.

"But it isn't my -," she wanted to say "fault", but understood there was no point in defending herself. He needed a scape goat and she was a perfect for the role. '_How many times will I be blamed for his misfortunes? Well, it _was_ slightly my fault, but…oh bugger._'

After the meal, Malfoy headed toward the office.

"Where do you think you are going!" Ginny yelled at his fast retreating back.

He shot her an icy glare with a meaning, 'How dare you even ask about my actions?' "I am going to work, so no time will be wasted."

"But that is exactly what he wants from you! To be his doggy, which fulfils his commands on a whistle!" Her cries echoed in the empty corridor, attempting to talk some sense into him, but they just jumped from the walls, dissolving into empty darkness. "Whatever he does, I'm not going anywhere, I am going to rest."

Upon entering the bedroom, Ginny found out that the room was occupied already by Malfoy, who lay in bed with papers scattered around him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked totally shocked by his presence.

"It is _my_ room, if you forgot, Weasley," he threw, his eyes on whatever he was reading.

"You know exactly why I am asking you this. You said you were going to work and now you are here."

"If you haven't noticed, I _am_ working. I can do it here if I want to. And to you it means that I need to concentrate thus you must shut up."

'_Damn Malfoy and his tricks. I clearly saw that he was going to the office. Could he simply change his mind on the way? Why not? He did bring all his papers here before dinner. So he acted like a big arse to me and I wanted him to act like a real man, Ginny, you are pathetic. He is a Malfoy, he can't like a man. He is just a pig with a tie_.' Taking place in her armchair, she watched him lying on the made bad and with grace and magnificence of a Greek God. '_Ok, not a pig but a dragon, but he is still a bastard._'

"You haven't told me about your weekend. I heard it was quite eventful, wasn't it?" Malfoy asked in a light tone.

"I don't think 'eventful' is a word for describing it. It was pretty ordinary," Ginny answered calmly, trying to play in his game of emotionless conversations.

"So you get raped on a daily basis?"

Ginny tensed on the mentioning of raping, but continued in the same tone. "No, I do not. But the funniest thing about the whole ordeal is that he wanted me to be his woman or something." Malfoy raised one eyebrow. "Like ditch you, because you are no fun to be with him."

"Interesting. And you must've arranged it with the Dark Lord, I presume?"

"Probably."

"Those bastards will never stop."

"What do you mean?"

"Not everybody can get a woman here. He must earn her. There is no problem in satisfying male's urges. Almost everyone goes and rapes some muggle and kills her after it, but having a lover is a whole different thing. He will have power over her. And the knowledge that he nicked his woman from another man is a great boost on the ego. Taking her from me would've been a real bonus."

"And why is that?"

"How old was he?"

"Well, I don't know, around forty."

"And how old am I?"

"Twenty one."

"So it is quite understandable who would be better in bed, isn't it?"

"Aaaaarch."

"Don't act dumb, Weasley. Who would you have chosen to sleep with, me or him?"

Ginny felt her cheeks warming up. "Well, I don't know, you and I - "

"Don't take it personally. We are discussing a theoretical possibility here. So who would've been your choice, the younger or the older one?"

"The younger one, I suppose," Ginny replied, red to the roots of her hair.

"That's the point. If he could lure you to live with him, then he would be a man of the month or something. But you were given to me and you'll remain with me."

"So you… earned me?"

"Fortunately, I didn't. You were like snow in the summer for me. I still don't know why you are here with me. We are the pair everybody is jealous of, what an idea!" Malfoy said with a chuckle.

"Jealous of what? And what can I have that nobody does?"

"Every man is jealous of my position now and of course of my future post. And every woman envies the fact that your virginity is guarded by the Dark Lord himself; they are not so lucky."

Ginny blushed again. "How do you know about it?"

"The message was sent to every male Death Eater. Even though I was in Germany I received it."

"I wonder what he wants with me."

"Maybe he is saving you for himself."

Ginny went white in a matter of seconds. With a trembling voice she asked, "He… he takes women… to his bed?"

"Not now, but he will eventually. Even if seeking immortality, the Dark Lord wants to have an heir so not to take the chance. He wants to have his flesh and blood, not a simple successor."

"But he is not even human!" Ginny exclaimed shaken up not only by the idea of sharing bed with Voldemort, but by the mere fact that there would be other Dark Lords. One was quite a package, but if there are many of them, then it would be the World's end for sure.

"The Dark Lord becomes more powerful with every day and at the same time more human. So in a few months his appearance won't be a problem."

"But that's irrational! He can't gain power and humanity simultaneously."

"Well, he manages it somehow. So start preparing yourself for a passionate night with Lord Voldemort," Malfoy said with a smirk.

Ginny growled. "Over my dead body."

"Unfortunately for you, it can't be arranged. I told you, you would have much less problems if you were dead. But now you have a purpose, so nobody but the Dark Lord can decide on your being dead or alive."

"How can you be so calm about such thing all the time?" '_Well, not exactly all the time, sometimes he looks more like a driven horse_.'

"If I hadn't been calm about such things, I would've turned insane a long time ago. And my position requires a clear mind at all times."

"Who are you by the way?" '_At last, I'll find out what is going on in that office of his._'

"I am the Financial Consultant of the Dark Lord, future Head of the Financial Department of the British Ministry of Magic."

"Oh, Merlin."

**A/N: Thanks for all reviews, keep them coming, they are really encouraging!**


	5. Breaking Down

**Chapter Five: Breaking Down**

During the next four weeks, Ginny witnessed the process of a person breaking down. She would've never even thought that a stoic and cold, epitome of arrogance like Draco Malfoy could be turned into a broken doll, a haunted animal, desperate to escape, but bound to his cage with bonds that couldn't be cut they were so strong.

Every Monday he returned from his trips with more and more depressed expression. When he came back to the office after meeting with the Dark Lord, he looked even worse. He looked like he went through a cutter and then thrown into a garbage can. Ginny didn't know the reason for all that of course, but she was afraid even to assume anything. Knowing his high ranked position, it could be anything from being late with a report or the world's collapse.

Ginny couldn't help but pity him. Malfoy worked so hard; he managed to almost gain back his place in the Dining Hall in just a month. She didn't understand how he did it. As if there was some invisible force that pushed him forward, when he slowed down or up, when he fell down.

She continued to sort the letters, finally beginning to understand what they were about. They were mostly statistical reports on the state of different companies, firms, agricultural businesses and every other place that made money or has its involvement in them.

Ginny was sleeping peacefully after another uneventful weekend. Uneventful, because now she was totally protected from any perverted man.

_Flashback_

"I am going to Italy," Malfoy said like instructing a small child. "The usual order remains. See you in the office on Monday. At ten o'clock. Sharp."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Ginny asked a bit childishly.

"What?" he snapped back at her.

Ginny stretched out her hand, palm up. "The key."

"Do you want the repetition of last week's incident?"

"Well, my virginity is protected by the Dark Lord himself, so there is nothing for me to be afraid of."

"There are a lot of other ways to use a woman except taking her virginity. Want to find out what they are?"

Ginny paled slightly and shook her head. "Isn't there also a way to prevent it?" she asked shakily.

Malfoy sighed with irritation, but moved to his closet. He searched there for a while, then took out a pair of pants and threw them at her. "Put them on." Ginny folded them neatly and put them under her pillow. "Put them on now, Weasley. I don't have all day for your dumbness."

Ginny quickly changed in the bathroom, but it was clear that the pants were far too big for her. She gave him a 'What now?' look. He charmed the pants to fit her and cast another spell unknown to Ginny. "Only you can take them off. Oh, and the final touch." Ginny's eyes widened when his wand was pointed right at her face. "Immuto." Ginny wanted to protest, but couldn't open her mouth. She struggled for a minute, getting angrier and angrier, seeing Malfoy's amused smirk. "Now you are completely protected. Now why hadn't I thought earlier about hexing your mouth shut?"

When he left, Ginny fell down onto her bed in frustration and yelped in pain. She checked the covers and found the wanted key. '_He left it even without me asking, bloody wanker_.'

_End Flashback_

Of course, the next weekend she dug her heels in hexing her mouth shut once again. She reasoned her point with, "If they try to unhex it, it won't work because it wasn't hexed in the first place. So pretending is a winning variant from both angles." To that Malfoy only smirked and left.

During the time of his absence, she managed to make a pretty good map of the visible passages of the castle. Ginny was still mystified by the lack of stairs. The passage portraits were used instead. It seemed too tricky to her.

Her peaceful slumber was slightly disturbed by a slamming door, but she just turned over and continued to sleep. At nine o'clock as it was planned, she woke up and stretched. Not bothering with anything, Ginny started her mourning routine, but was rooted to the spot by the sight in front of her. Malfoy was sitting on his knees; the half from his waist up was hidden in the closet. The sound he was emitting seemed to be quite close to throwing up, to Ginny's opinion. '_He is throwing up into his own closet. What a pig_.'

When she neared him, she understood that he was as far from being sick as one Pole from another. Instead, Malfoy was frantically pulling memories from his temple and throwing them into the Pensive. If a memory wasn't that happy to oblige, he dragged it out of his head with his bare hands.

"What the Hell are you doing?!" Ginny cried, eyes rounding with each second.

Malfoy sharply turned to her, revealing a white face with wide eyes with a frightened look in the depths of them. His blond hair was covered with blood, his hands the same. On the whole, Draco Malfoy was a complete mess.

"What does it look like?" he croaked.

"But why?" Ginny breathed out, looking from the Pensive to his blood stained robes with utter bewilderment.

Malfoy was 'saved' from answering by the burning of his Mark. He began to stand up, but failed and fell down onto his knees. Then he clenched his teeth and attempted again, another fall followed his actions. "Take me to him," he whispered.

"Do you have to go?" Ginny asked with worry, normal for the state he was in.

"I must go. Take me there."

After some misfortunate steps and motions, they finally reached the big iron doors which opened themselves to swallow them.

"Draco, my boy, there you are. I though something had happened to you," Voldemort said in a sickly sweet voice, which showed he was as far from caring as possible.

Still heavily leaning on Ginny, he hissed into her ear, "Put me down on my knee." Ginny obeyed, starting to get a strange feeling that this wouldn't end well.

"My Lord," Malfoy greeted with raspy but steady voice.

"So what do you have to tell me, Draco?"

"Please, honor me with your insight."

"Very well."

The room turned silent. '_What is going on?_' Ginny thought frantically. She looked around, noticing gloating Death Eaters in the room. Ginny looked back at Malfoy, who hadn't uttered a word. The only motion of his figure was the twitching of his head from time to time.

After a tense silence of five minutes, Voldemort roared, "Again?!!" Ginny even jumped from the power of his voice, but mostly from the anger it contained. "Crucio!"

A blood freezing scream made Ginny snap out from her trance like state. She moved her glance from an unconscious body of Draco Malfoy lying on the floor, to the Dark Lord, who wore an expression of childish disappointment; As if he wished for more time to torture, but his victim was unfortunately too weak.

"What has he done to you?" Ginny asked with suppressed rage.

"He brought me bad news. No news can be good news but bad news is always bad news," Voldemort answered in a patronizing voice.

"So it gives you the right to torture the messenger?"

"Of course. I am your Lord, I can torture whoever I like, whenever I like."

"Is it the only thing you can do?" Ginny didn't want to hide anything any longer. Now she will tell him everything she was thinking about him. "Torture somebody who can't fight against you? Italy told you to fuck off, didn't it? Because it is quite prosperous without you and your stupid dogmas! But noooo, you want everything and everybody to obey you and only you. Thus you sit here and send one single man to conquer Europe for you, to do your dirty work. And then you will step on the throne with a parade, doing absolutely _nothing _to accomplish it. You can't threaten or kill everybody who resists you. If you do, there won't be anybody left to obey your coward Highness."

With that said, Ginny adjusted Malfoy to lean on her and left the Hall.

'_He looks really bad_,' Ginny thought, washing blood from Malfoy's face. '_As if he has walked straight from the battlefield_.'

"I am surprised you are still alive."

Ginny jumped at the sound of his raspy voice. '_I am so jumpy today. If it continues I'll be a nervous wreck in a few months._' "How do you feel?"

"Fine. It is still strange that you are not being put six feet under right now. After all you said to the Dark Lord, especially in the presence of his Inner Circle."

"Well, I couldn't help it. I hate when people are treated unfairly."

"It is life and life is always unfair," Malfoy said, giving the ceiling a long distance glance.

"Oh, don't turn all philosophical on me, Malfoy! I considered you clever enough not to submit to hopelessness. And you still look like a mess. I don't have my wand so you must work on it yourself."

"As it is the first time," he muttered under his breath.

He slowly stood up, took some vials from a drawer of his worktable and disappeared in the bathroom. Two hours later he emerged, looking his usual self as if nothing even happened to him. Not a scratch was left. Malfoy took some papers from the table and started to head to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To the office, where else? It is Monday; we have a lot of work to do."

"Are you crazy?! You were half dead three hours ago and now you want to work?"

"It was three hours ago, now I am capable to do what I must do."

"But that's just crazy!"

He moved to her in a flash and hissed right into her face, "Listen close, Weasley. We are in deep shit right now and if we don't dig out of it, this will get real. And I suggest you listen to me because I know what it is and you don't. You don't even want to imagine, so you get your butt up and let's go. The conflict with Italy must be mended somehow."

Ginny rolled her eyes but followed him. '_I won't understand how his mind works even if we live a decade together._' "What was the whole reporting thing about? You haven't said a single word."

"My mind was read instead. And before you ask why, it is a sign of mutual trust; on the other hand, it is more effective."

"So nobody could lie, interesting," Ginny said with understanding. "Wait a minute and about those memo-"

Her sentence was cut off by a hand on her mouth. "The walls have ears. We'll talk about it later," he whispered. Ginny gave him an I-know-you'll-weasel-out-of-it look. "I promise." Somehow she believed him.

The office was empty on Mondays as usual and the bin was full with letters. Ginny reluctantly moved to the bin. "Do you want the Italian letters first?" she asked in a bored tone.

"Yes," Malfoy answered, already deep in some strange looking books.

'_Man, I am bored out of my mind. How can Malfoy find anything interesting in whatever he is doing? I feel myself more like on an uninhabited island than in a castle full of people, who don't interact with each other. Only at meals, but that is also doubtful. They just eat and nothing more. Of course, they are Death Eaters, they can't joke around or tease each other, but they could at least maintain a civil conversation with each other. Instead they sit as if each of them is surrounded by invisible walls. Brrr, the whole environment makes me puke. If Voldemort wants to turn the whole world into this nightmare, than I am surely not participating._'

"Here are you letters, Malfoy." She was quite near to just shoving the damn parchments into his face.

"What's the mood for, Weasley? I don't see any reason for you to be depressed after recent events. Something happened over the weekend?"

"No, nothing happened. It is just dull."

"Maybe you don't get it, but I am on an edge of a downfall here so I don't have time to occupy you with entertaining activities," Malfoy said though tightened jaw.

'_Downfall? Is everything that serious?_' "So what is going on in Italy anyway?"

"And why such sudden interest in international affairs?"

"Well, I need to know how deep in shit I am, do I?"

Malfoy gave her a strange look. It was something of appreciation, understanding and admiration even. It was strange, as everything about Malfoy. Silencing charms again started to cover all the squares of the room, especially the hole for owl. That meant to Ginny that something interesting would be uncovered.

"Italy is a very strong and developed country both spiritually and economically. Frankly speaking, there isn't a country which considers the threats of the Dark Lord seriously. The United Kingdom was always detached from the continent part of Europe, so for other countries it is easier to form an alliance against us. They are closer to each other not only by territory but also in view on the global relations."

"They are like friends," Ginny breathed out, astonished at how public relations resembled simple people's relationships like friendship.

"Hm, you can put it that way. Well, the point is that - " he stopped suddenly, as if some invisible barrier was restraining him from what he wanted to say.

"The point is what?" Ginny encouraged, eagerly wanting to kill her curiosity and it could be very useful information for the Order too. Another wave of silencing charms. "What is it with you and silencing charms? Do you really believe walls have ears?"

"Believe me, they do. I am not joking in the least. Many were disposed of because of their tongues. I don't want to join them in the near future."

His voice was calm as always, but Ginny heard a distant note of fear also. Real fear for his life. '_What is going on here? In this castle, in this office, in his head?_'

The words of Voldemort echoed in her head: "I can torture whoever I like, whenever I like."

'_What a bastard. I may be considered lucky so far. Oh Malfoy is again in his papers. One word and then a China Wall of silence. But what do I want? I must just be thankful that he didn't rape me or kill me on the spot. Well, he proposed to kill me, but he didn't. I don't even know why I bother to understand him and the scheme he is working on. Oh, well, back to the letters._'

Thanks to Ginny's constant whining, they finished earlier and were at their room at eight.

"So, Malfoy, you have a promise to keep. And don't even ask what I am talking about."

"I know what you are talking about. Nothing astounding, those memories are simply worse news."

"Worse news? How can this be possible?"

"You mean, how can news be worse?"

"No, I mean if the Dark Lord was so enraged by what you showed him, than what could've been his reaction if he had seen the whole portion of news?"

"Let's say that you would've been given to somebody else."

"So you kinda lied to your Lord?!"

"I didn't exactly lie…"

"Cut that bullshit, Malfoy! You slid out of severe punishment because you replaced the right information with false ones. That's a hundred percent lying!"

"So I lied. What's the big deal? I am a Death Eater. It is one of my primary tasks. And by the way, Cruciaus and a mess I got in Italy were pretty severe to my body, thank you."

"But aren't you afraid of lying to the Dark Lord? Don't you worship him or something?" Ginny asked totally confused now.

Malfoy sighed. For a few moments he intently stared at his right hand then suddenly locked his glance with Ginny's. "There is an unwritten codex of a real Death Eater. The Codex of Survival. You are a rookie, but you are a Death Eater also. I think it is time for you to know about it. There are three postulates in it: fight against your enemies, fight against your allies and fight against the Dark Lord."

"It sounds ridiculous," Ginny protested.

"Why? I think it is completely logical."

"Why do you fight your allies? They are named your allies because they are on the same side as you."

"Let's say that being a Death Eater is a lot harder then to be on the Light Side."

"Don't make a sufferer out of yourself, Malfoy. You are just a rotten Death Eater."

"As you are."

"And you are just so happy to rub it into my face every time you get a chance."

"Then you live by your rules and I live by mine and you won't ever understand what I was talking about."

"You are challenging me, right?" Ginny asked with sparks in her eyes. She didn't remember when her spirits were so uplifted.

"What if I do?"

Ginny watched lean legs stretched out on his bed sitting on the floor, leaning onto the same bed. When she saw the same sparks in his eyes, she thought that maybe someday they could be allies that don't fight against each other.

"Shoot, and then I see if that Codex has some logic in it."

Malfoy's expression turned serious and he moved his glance to the white ceiling. "If you are on the battlefield, you are sure that somebody, for example Longbottom, will cover your back, right?"

"I hope so," Ginny answered, not knowing where he was going with it.

"Well, Death Eaters don't have such luxury. I will be more probably stabbed in the back, than warned about upcoming danger. Why? Because we all fight for the place under the Sun. The Sun named Lord Voldemort. He grants prizes and privileges, posts and power. If you want to gain something of this you must not only work hard, but most importantly, liquidate your competitors; other Death Eaters. Everyone fights for his own benefit."

"And what about the last one?"

"That's a tricky one. You must be really smart to do it. Many were executed for sidestepping the Dark Lord's orders for their advantage. Power is an unpredictable thing: one moment it is all yours and the other it is completely gone. You must learn to maneuver between these stages, otherwise you are dead. And by the way, if you pull that stunt you did today one more time, you are dead with purpose or not."

"How could you even hear anything? You were unconscious."

"Your yells can bring the man from the dead."

"Oh, really…" she mocked. "Hey, Malfoy, you have a high post don't you."

"You can say so."

"So there is quite a competition for it?"

"Yes, there still is."

"I'll watch your back then."


	6. Break Through

**Chapter Six: Break Through**

Ginny was having a wonderful dream: she was with her family, in her lovely house, the Borrow; everything was all right, there were no wars or murders or violence, everybody was peaceful and happy. Happy about another sunny day with no problems whatsoever. Ginny was surrounded by her parents, brothers and friends. Surrounded by love and care…and then it all was rudely interrupted by a muffled 'bang'.

Ginny groaned in frustration, her happy dream was slipping away, because of some stupid noise. When her mind was awake enough, she understood that it was the same sound of beating an air out of something, which bothered her every night except for weekends. After making some deduct thinking, she came to conclusion that the sounds were straightly connected to Malfoy. And if he dared to violate her beauty sleep then she is going to find out what is behind it all.

She quietly stood up and headed towards his bed. Her walk was lighted by a small nightstand. She managed to reach the bedside unnoticed, but her reaction at what she found out was really hard to hide.

"What are you doing?!" she asked with wide eyes, looking at Malfoy, beating his pillow into a pulp and muttering curses with every hit.

"It is not your bloody business. Leave me alone," he hissed at her, his face hidden in the pillow.

"Oh, no I won't. I can't sleep because of you! And stop beating that poor pillow!"

"You want to take its place?" Malfoy asked his voice coming from the depth of his throat.

Ginny was taken aback by his response. '_Maybe I really need to leave him alone and don't pry into his life._' Ginny throw another glance at his stiffened posture, smashed pillows around him and white fingers, clenching the pillow for dear life. '_But he looks so miserable and defeated. Stress from all these days must be coming to him._' "Malfoy."

"Weasley," he began dangerously, "return to bed or I swear you'll painfully regret your actions."

"I dear to disagree with you this time. Guardian or not. You are acting irrational and stupid. I won't leave until you explain yourself," Ginny stated firmly, but wasn't feeling brave inside. '_What am I getting myself into?_'

"Who is acting stupid now, huh? Messing with me has never done anybody any good."

"Stop it, Malfoy! Threatening me won't help you to get rid of me! You are beating up a bloody pillow, Malfoy! What else can be more stupid?!"

"So why are you standing here? Run, run and shout at every corner that Draco Malfoy beats his pillow to release frustration and anger at his life! Go! Every listener will worship you for this information!" Malfoy yelled, hitting his bed again with tightly clenched fists. "Why are even _you_ are so eager to see my failure, my downfall?"

"I…I…I…" '_Merlin, what can I say to that? Well, I certainly don't want to see him fail, even if he is Draco Malfoy I used to hate. I don't hate him now though._' "Malfoy, there is no reason why I would be glad to see you fail in whatever you are doing," she began reassuringly.

"I am your enemy for starters," Malfoy grunted, but noticeably calmer than before.

"But now I am on your side and -"

"You know it's bullshit. Or did you also lie to the Dark Lord about your unshakable loyalties?"

"Ok, I give up. If your childness is so unshakable then so be it. I offered you my help, but you, remaining a stubborn git as you always are, refused. I am going to bed, but if I hear one more sound I'll strangle you with your own favorite pillow."

She turned on her hills and started to move towards the bed when heard a rustle of sheets and a soft "Help? You wanted to help me?"

"Yes, Malfoy, I want to help you, but you don't let me, you sent me away."

"But how can you help me?"

Ginny returned and sat down beside his bed, the same way she did that very morning. "I can take the place of your pillow – I can hear you out and maybe help to find the solution to your problems."

"Hear me out… This is ridiculous," Malfoy grumbled, sitting in the bed, with his head, resting on his hands which in their turn lay on his knees.

"Have you ever tried?"

"No."

"Then how do you know if it is ridiculous or not?"

"I don't know… I don't know what to say," he stuttered.

"Let's begin with the thing that angers you the most." '_When did I become a psychiatrist?_'

There was a long pause, while Malfoy intently looked at the opposite wall. Then he said almost inaudibly, "I hate my job."

"You hate your job?! But you spend so much time on it!"

"Because it must be done, I hadn't volunteered to do it, I was positioned as the most qualified. But you can't do everything alone."

"And what about those three workers you have in your office?"

"Fools. The only thing they can do is to copy figures from the reports to the gross books, sorting them out a little, that's all. Others, who write those reports, are a bit brighter. But they still feel in the data they are asked, they don't have any initiative. They are all miners, who bring rocks to me and I turn it into gold. Literally.

I bet you think, 'Malfoy, a self-centered git, as always. Thinks nobody is worth him.'" Ginny gulped; she did think that. "Well, I am not completely alone. There is this guy, Rudolf. Remember the man, who sat beside us? The one, who stares at the wall all the time?" Ginny nodded. "He is a brilliant accounter, helps me sometimes. There are also people, one in every country, who manage other workers there. They are good workers, they do work off the salary they receive. But they are just employers, there is nothing personal in my work with them. If I die or am removed from this position, they will serve whoever I will be replaced with."

"What do you mean, they receive salary?"

"Almost everyone does here, in this castle, and outside workers do also. I insisted on it as the Financial Consultant. There must by the currency turn over or there will be no economy in the first place."

"Where is this money come from then? I heard Gringotts is still resisting the Dark Lord."

"Yeh, Goblins are clever. Nobody knows the catacombs better than them. They certainly have advantage over the situation and the worst part is that they are unbribeble.

And the money…the money came mostly from the estates of rich pure-blooded families or other rich families, but in the last case, the money didn't come, it was taken."

"From families like yours?"

"Yes, like mine," Malfoy replied evenly. "I inherited only twenty thousand galleons. It was funny really."

'_What can be funny about being stripped off of all possessions in the benefit of a crazy maniac?_'

"They gathered all the gold and valuable assets in one huge vault and had no idea what to do with it. They couldn't divide it into equal parts, because all were of different ranks thus some should earn more than the others. It was a zoo." Malfoy smirked. "And then I appeared on the scene. Severus recommended me." He swallowed, pain deep in his eyes. "I wasn't in good waters with the Dark Lord after you know what. It was my chance. A chance to survive in this war. I was eighteen back then. Nobody believed that I would make it. But then one month passed, two months, a year and I was still on the post. Of course, I made mistakes and was punished, but I worked through them and remained afloat.

That is when the hating began. How can a boy use their money? Money that belonged to them by right. They didn't know that if it hadn't been for me, they wouldn't have any money t all. There are two things the Death Eaters envy the most: power and money. But nobody wants to make money, they only want to spend it. Spend it on life luxuries and do nothing to earn it. To do whatever you want whenever you want.

Everyone wants to be the Head of the Financial Department. Why? Because all the money will go through his hands and pretty big part of it will reside in his pockets. But there is a slight problem – somebody must keep this money coming.

This is the only advantage of my position right now. Nobody else can bring money to them, so I can't be just disposed of. Used as a scape goat? Of course. A slave? Most probably. Nobody wants to come through the shit I go to gain one galleon."

"Why do you do it then? If everybody is after your blood; you have tons of problems; you don't trust your crew and on the whole you are always in deep shit. So why bother?"

"Firstly, because this shit is mine and mine alone. It is much better than participate in exterminating reins, patrolling, shaking out information or debts, torturing and murdering muggles; the list goes on and one."

"So you prefer to keep your hands clean, don't you, Malfoy?" Ginny asked sardonically.

"How about you? How many have you killed?"

"Well, I…"

"What? Nothing to say?"

"I killed two Death Eaters; they were planning an attack on a muggle supermarket and I overheard. I attacked them from behind, deciding to stunt them for good, but things got out from control: a spell backfired from one Death Eater to another or the mixture of hexes was too strong…Well, they both died."

"So it wasn't a murder in cold blood. Your colleagues must be so disappointed in you. No killed enemies on your account…"

"Shut it, Malfoy. I was always kept aside from the war. I ended up here, because I decided to do something useful at last."

"Why didn't you kill the attackers then?" Malfoy asked in a bored tone.

"Because there were _five_ of them!"

"Oooo, yeh, five is pretty tough for a small girl like you." Only now Malfoy turned to face her. "I still wonder what are you doing here. The most mysterious thing is what you are doing here with _me_."

"Ask the Dark Lord. If you dare," Ginny suggested with a grin, satisfied she could reverse his challenge.

"The rule says, 'Don't ask the orders of your Lord' In other words – obey or die. I don't particularly like this rule."

"You are a cynic, Malfoy. Utter cynic."

"Yes, you can say so. But I need to be one to survive."

"Don't forget to use the Codex," she added playfully, not really meaning her words.

"Of course. There is no way to survive without it," he said seriously, that surprised her.

"You mean, you really fight your enemies, allies and the Dark Lord?"

"Yes, I do. But I advise you not to do it, you are too inexperienced. But you should remember that there a lot of things not worth fighting for or pointless to fight against – you'll never win. And I suggest we go to sleep, half of the night has been wasted."

"It has not been wasted, Malfoy. I am not sure, but I hope you took at least some weight from your chest by saying it out. I am always here of you want to talk."

"Of course you are here. Where else can you be?" Malfoy asked with sarcasm.

Ginny frowned, but decided to let it sly. "My proposal still stands.

"No it doesn't. I'll Obliviate you tomorrow and you won't remember a thing.

"What?!"

"You heard me. I can't let you remember anything I said tonight."

"But I _want_ to remember!"

"Of course you do. A perfect compromising material on your enemy."

"Goddammit, Malfoy, I was completely genuine about it! I wanted to help you! I can't watch you dragging yourself from one day to another, starving yourself with work nobody appreciates! You don't need to fight me all the time, I can't harm you. I do _not_ want to harm you. I just want to be your friend!" With that she stormed to her bed. Falling down on it she yelled at him, "And you wasted the only chance to have a decent person around you. A person, who won't stab you in the back!"

"And why such sudden disposition? You hated my guts only two months ago."

"And in two months you haven't hurt me, having a perfect opportunity to do it. I can't trust you, but I at least believe you."

"The next thing you ask is if you can call me Draco," he scoffed.

"Why not? Can I?"

"This is just crazy! Sounds like some children's camp," Malfoy uttered, falling down onto the pillows.

"You don't want me to, then so be it, it isn't a problem on the level of the universe. The real problem is how to get up at 7 am today. It must be 3 am already."

"Forget it. We will get up at ten and go to the office after breakfast."

"And why such sudden fit of kindness?"

"I am a workaholic with limits. After today's activities I can't risk sleeping only four hours then have a full working day. I slept only two hours the previous night. So it is absolutely pointless to stand up at seven today."

"Ok then."

"Hey, Weasley, come here."

"What?" she snapped. "You want a good night kiss?" She has already made herself comfortable on the bed and didn't want to get up again.

"Something for good night."

"Oh, brother." Ginny quite reluctantly moved off the covers and went back to Malfoy's bed.

"Take a small sip of this and then run for covers," he said, handing her a bottle with blue liquid.

Ginny raised an eyebrow at his suggestion and especially at his attempt to make a joke. "And why run?"

"The potion is very potent. It can knock you out in mere seconds. You don't want to sleep on the floor, do you?"

Ginny followed his instructions and was asleep even before her head hit the pillow.

"I wish I could take that potion every night," Ginny commented on the way to breakfast the next morning.

"You can't. It may turn into addiction. I only let myself take it once a week, on Saturday night."

"Why on Saturday?"

"It is a merry-go-round for me on weekends, I don't sleep a lot during those days. Too much to be done."

"Speaking of work -"

"You speak of work? I thought you hated it with passion."

"It doesn't matter, I still must do it, right?"

'_Very good girl._' "Of course."

"Well, I thought that maybe I can help you with extracting information from the reports? You know yourself that the letters can be sorted by one quick spell, you are just wasting my abilities."

"I have enough people to work on the English letters."

'_Strange. He hasn't protested about giving this job to me in the first place._' "Well, I know a bit of French and with dictionaries you have at the office, I am sure I'll manage."

"But _I _am not sure about it."

"Try me, it won't sabotage anything."

"The point is not about your being qualified or not. The simple action of giving you an official work place is connected to a lot of things.

First of all, your social status will change – you'll turn from a mere prisoner into a worker. You will receive salary." Ginny's eyes beamed at this. "Half as much as an average worker."

Her face fell. "Why?"

"Because the Dark Lord's purpose for you still stands above all, so you remain to be a captured person. Consider yourself lucky, prisoners usually receive only third of the salary. But you are pureblood, so it gives privileges. Rudolf, for example, earns only 50 because he is a half-blood."

"But that's not fair!"

"Tell me about it," she heard him whisper. "Anyway, money won't do you any good, because you can't spend them. You don't leave the castle."

"But you do. I really need some new clothes and other things. You can buy them for me."

Malfoy gave her a look of shock. "You understand that it is wrong in so many ways."

"Don't be a ninny, Malfoy. You can get used to it."

He rolled his eyes, but continued his explanation. "I don't know if it can be called a disadvantage, but you'll become less attached to me as your guardian. You won't get a spare room or a wand, of course. But my career won't affect yours so to say. Maybe you'll be put at the beginning of the hierarchy even. This way you will continue to be my subordinate, but the Dark Lord will watch you more closely. And if you want to go up the corporate ladder you must please him."

"Is it absolutely necessary?"

"What exactly?"

"Separating us? If so, then I would like to continue sorting the letters."

"Strange decision, Weasley. You were so anxious about it at first."

"Well, I am too used to hang around you all the time."

'_She wants to stay with me? Why? It is too complicated for me to understand. And still…_' "Pity. I really needed help."

"Can I do it on volunteer basis? I mean no salary or status changing?"

"That can be arranged," Malfoy said with a conspirational grin.

When they almost reached the office, Ginny got the courage to ask the question that bugged her all morning. "Why did you want to Obliviate me?" she said softly.

Malfoy cautiously looked around. "You know why."

Well, she had minor idea that if a word of said the night before fell into the wrong hands then they are both doomed, but then… "Why didn't you?"

"I…I don't know."


	7. Couples

**I am very sorry for long wait, but there were a bit of complications connected with my studies and work, next chapters will come much much faster. **

**Next chapter will appear with new title "Trapped Inside" so don't be surprised.**

**Chapter Seven: Couples**

Ginny's position change in the office wasn't met with enthusiasm. Other three secretaries, as they were called, threw side way glances all the time and she answered them with glares full of hatred. The only thing she knew about them was that they were Robinson, Beverley and Phisby, from right to left.

Today was a special day for Ginny – she was given her own work table, dictionaries, huge gross books and lots and lots of reports to go through. The latter wasn't exactly something Ginny was happy about. She knew France was the closest neighbor and the closest country to make contact with, but at the same time it was a perfect candidate for the enemy. But Ginny wasn't regretting her choice. This task was at least not as boring as the letters' sorting.

Even if she should be concentrated on the data she was working with, Ginny continued her observations of Malfoy. He moved back and forth, in and out of the office, continuously touching his Dark Mark with his wand.

Once he was out and she was busy with her work, she almost jumped on her chair, when his voice appeared in her head, "I am having a business meeting right now, go to the Dining Hall without me. I'll join you there, Seats are the same." After staring onto the wall for a whole minute, she shook her head and returned to work. '_Man, he is creepy._'

Thinking of him as creepy, Ginny didn't think about him as strange anymore. Time and some of his revealings added more and more pieces to the puzzle of Draco Malfoy. His words on the night before stung her deeply. This world was really much crueler than hers. And cruel mainly to its own inhabitants.

Ginny came to conclusion that she would never understand what Malfoy was really scheming. He seemed to sly up and down and in between, but Ginny was sure about one thing: he was fighting. Fighting in his own unnoticeable, unpunishable way, but he was still doing it. Such ordinary thing as Death Eater's regalia, for example. Nobody could reproach him in not wearing it, it wasn't a rule or anything. Somebody dared to approach him with that and Ginny heard Malfoy answer, "The Dark Lord knows I am loyal to him and that is all he needs. And if you need a mask to cover your cowardice face then so be it."

With that topic was closed. Of course, Ginny wasn't stupid, she knew better. He didn't wear those robes, because he didn't want to be one of them. Why? It was wholly another question and Ginny didn't have answer to it.

The thing that intrigued Ginny the most was that she was completely sure Malfoy was organizing his business against his Lord, his supposed master. _That_ gave material to think about. Malfoy definitely knew something he shouldn't or should have informed his authorities about, but he didn't. A big game seemed to be going on and Ginny really wanted to participate in it for good reasons.

On Friday another surprise awaited Ginny.

"Here, put this on," Malfoy ordered, tossing her a big white box.

"Huh?"

"We are making a social visit during dinner. I want you to look presentable."

After five minutes the information has gone through Ginny scull. She was so surprised that the only thing she managed to utter was, "Are we allowed to miss dinner in the Dining Hall?"

"If you not appear at dinner, the Dark Lord finds you and if he approves of your whereabouts then nothing happens."

"And what is disapprovable then?"

"Sleeping for starters. All leisure activities."

"You mean, you can't rest?"

"Rest is during resting time. Other point is dating. We are still people and we date; traditionally during dinner time, but the girlfriend must be approved by the Dark Lord first."

"And if she isn't?" Ginny swallowed.

"She dies and the man is severely punished."

'_Reminds me of the Dark Ages._' "And where are _we_ going?"

"You'll see. But firstly put these on."

Ginny went to the bathroom and opened the box. There wasn't anything special in it: a long black skirt, silk creamy blouse with simple embodiment and a black robe. The clothes were nothing fancy, but they were new and of good quality. She took a shower and put on the outfit. Everything fitted her perfectly! She checked herself in the mirror: she looked good!

"Do I look presentable to you?" she asked, stepping out of the bathroom and doing a little swinging around for demonstration.

Malfoy looked her up and down. '_Shoes, I forgot about shoes. Well, I'll buy them next time. Wait a minute, what next time?!_' "Yes, quite. Let's go."

They left their bedroom and started walking in the direction Ginny never went before. After some time they went through a portrait and found themselves in an unusual place. Unusual to Ginny at least. The stone floor was covered with soft green carpet, the corridors were well lit, in front of them was a resting area with benches and a small but beautiful fountain.

"Wow, what a fancy neighborhood," Ginny said in awe.

"Couples live here."

"Couples? Why don't we live here?" Ginny asked longingly.

"Because we are not a couple, Weasley. The main difference between them and us is that women have wands and sex is not restricted."

"But previously you said that other women are kept in the same conditions as me."

"These women are not kept, they live here. They became Death Eaters on their own free will. Some of them work in the Ministry as secretaries or in other areas. I call these couples long last engaged or almost married."

"Why?"

"It is not my place to tell."

Having an educational chat they reached one of the doors, which was their destination. Without Ginny noticing, Malfoy knocked onto the door. All happened so spontaneously that Ginny hasn't thought about who was she going to meet or what to talk about or how even hold herself, that's why her jaw unceremoniously dropped, when the door opened to reveal a handsome brunette, who she knew to be Blaize Zabini and behind him, Pansy Parkinson in a modest light green dress.

"Hi, Draco. I wish I was so punctual." Then he noticed that Draco wasn't alone. His joyful expression instantly faded and he was clearly lost for words.

Malfoy solved the problem with, "I asked Ms. Weasley to accompany me, because I thought Pansy must've been really tired of listening to us talking business."

"Oh," Zabini only said and let them in.

"Dinner is ready," Pansy announced and led the way to a living room looking place. The table was set for three, but instantly rearranged itself for four persons. Ginny was sited between Malfoy and Parkinson.

When the first course was served and glasses full, Ginny leaned to Malfoy and whispered, "You said it was a social visit, where did the business talking come from?"

"If you don't know then I enlighten you that business and leisure is a perfect combination for success."

Ginny rolled her eyes. Zabini snickered.

No word was shared during dinner. Ginny knew it was because of her. She hasn't felt so awkward in her entire life! She hasn't seen Zabini or Parkinson during meals, they could sit behind her and she didn't really watch anyway. Once a thought that the slytherins she knew personally could be here, in this castle, might've crossed her mind, but she didn't dwell on it. And now she was sitting among three slytherins, who, she was certain, had been and remained friends, feeling like an intruder.

Finally, the dinner ended.

"We will have tea with Ms. Weasley on the balcony." Ginny noticed that Parkinson's tone wasn't disgusted or icy, it was only neutral and slightly indifferent. Without anything better to do, Ginny followed her.

When the balcony doors were opened, Ginny was again awestruck by the beauty of the night sky view it revealed. She leaned onto the balcony edge to look what was below, but only managed to get a glimpse of pure darkness, because her head bumped into something solid.

"Don't even try," came Parkinson's voice. "There is a barrier around the balcony. The reason is clear, I suppose."

"Well, yeh." Ginny looked to the left. There were a few feet of a wall and then nothing. Only the sky. '_This is crazy._'

Her lost expression must've told Parkinson about Ginny's dilemma. "Each dormitory on this floor has such a balcony, but we can't see each other, because of the barriers. The balcony itself sticks like out of the Black Hole."

"Oh."

"Sit down. I don't bite." Ginny accepted the invitation, occupying one of the wicker chairs. "Frankly speaking, I am glad Draco brought you with him. I really lack feminine company. My colleagues are mostly females but they are utter chatter boxes – no pleasant conversation with them."

By the end of her speech Ginny's eyes were as wide as sockets. '_Pansy pug-faced Parkinson is glad to talk to me?! The world is coming to an end. Well, I living with Malfoy was also absurd._' "Well…I feel…the same, P…"

"You can call me Pansy," she said with a small smile.

"Well, yes, Pansy." Ginny took a deep breath. She was definitely not in her plate.

"Help yourself with some tea," Pansy suggested.

Ginny took a sip and everything fall into place. She felt exactly like when she was out with Hermione or Luna. A chit chat of woman to woman and nothing else mattered. "So, where do you work, Pansy?" Ginny asked now more confidently.

"In the Daily Prophet. I am a journalist."

"I've never -"

"Though I could be one? Well, I can some times put my thoughts straight," she said with a giggle. "I heard you were helping Draco?"

"Yeh, sort of. I just decided I could be more useful. He has a lot of work to do. Letters sorting was just a waste of my brains. Even a monkey can do it." They giggled girlishly.

"Yes, Draco is a very busy. Poor boy. Can't visit us often. He does usually once a month, but if he doesn't appear in two months, Blaize simply drags him here. I don't understand how he manages all his businesses."

"I don't understand either. And even don't want to try. By the way, if you work for the Prophet, why do you live here?"

"Because of Blaise. He has an administrative position and the whole administrational stuff lives in this castle. I would actually prefer other place, than -," she wrote on the piece of parchment 'in this mausoleum'. When Ginny gave her a questioning look, Pansy pointed at the outside barrier and then to her ear.

Ginny nodded in understanding and changed the topic. "How did you end up with Blaise in the first place? I remember, you were all over Malfoy in school."

"Well, his disappearance after our sixth year automatically brought our relationship to an end. And when the sorting was going on, I decided to stay with Blaize. Someone familiar at least. After four years of living together I can boldly and with complete certainty announce that we love each other," Pansy finished with a huge smile.

'_She looks much prettier when she smiles._' "I am really happy for you."

A shadow crossed Pansy's features. "Not everybody is as lucky as we are."

"What do you mean?"

"There are pureblooded man and woman in every dormitory on this floor. They were put there for creating the new generation of pureblooded wizards and witches."

"The breeding project," Ginny whispered, beginning to fully realize the cruelty of it.

"Every one, who was of age was to participate in the Sorting, which happens every year. Fortunately, it is not completely arranged couples, you have a choice, but not a big one. Those, who come willingly, save their freedom. The Dark Lord doesn't care if the partners are shifted afterwards. Others, who are captured or brought by force, are placed with guardians."

"Like me?"

"Well, yes. Those girls don't have any choice. But you are special somehow, Ginny."

"Well, yeh. My virginity is protected by the Dark Lord himself and stuff."

"Not only that. You see, Draco is not exactly -"

"What a minute… You said everybody who had been eighteen… Malfoy was here already, then why didn't he -"

"Get a fiancée? I don't know the details, all I know is that he told the Dark Lord he wasn't available due to the kind of his job. It was enough, especially if Draco's job results are valued in gold."

"But maybe Malfoy is just," Ginny suppressed a fit of giggles, "he is, you know, gay?"

"Of course not!" Pansy replied defensively, but it was clear that the very idea amused her to no end.

"Why are you so sure?"

"I have been his girlfriend for two years! He is as gay as I am a man, which I am certainly not."

"It still surprises me how he was so stable. It would've been more normal if he had been running after every skirt."

"You don't even imagine how stable Draco can be. His being here is mainly because of this feature of his character."

"You mean, because his father was a Death Eater he is fulfilling son's duty?"

"Only partly and before you ask me to elaborate I'll advise you to ask Draco himself. I don't have the right, especially I don't know the whole story myself."

"Malfoy told me the same thing today, when he called you almost married. He said to ask you about it."

In a matter of seconds giggly smiling Pansy turned into a lifeless, scared creature, which resembled more a widow than a fiancée. "We can't get married until I give birth to His child. Who knows what can happen to me after it? I can even die giving birth to this abnormal child! I don't want to do it! I want to a have a family! A real family with Blaise and our children! We are always using protection so not get me pregnant like some teenagers! And we sleep together for almost three years!"

In the end the pressure was too strong, she couldn't hold her tears anymore. Ginny offered her shoulder for Pansy to cry on and sympathy to console her. She knew exactly what Pansy was talking about. Every girl wanted to have a family and be a mother. Ginny herself had such dreams before the War, but put them aside, because she knew it was impossible for them to come true. But Pansy was another story: she had her beloved with her already; it was even a bigger torture for her.

Meanwhile in the living room another deep conversation was going on.

"Let's finish this boring talk, Draco," Blaise said, putting a bottle of red wine on the table. Blaise saved that mark especially for Draco's visits.

"You want to get me drunk so I'll spill me deepest secrets?"

"We both know well that you won't ever be drunk," Blaise said with a chuckle. "You could make a fortune by talking that potion into mass production."

"Maybe someday. It will have his name on it."

"What about the rights?"

"He gave me them in his will. But all this is in a very far away future."

"Let's talk about the present then. How do you manage to live with the Weasley girl?" Blaise asked, pouring the wine into two crystal glasses.

"I don't know."

"Huh?"

"It is my most popular answer recently. You see, we had a talk Monday night."

"Yeh, she put a good amount of salt into the Dark Lord's tea that day."

Draco smiled. "She is a good girl when she wants. Anyway. I woke her up with- It doesn't really matter. The point is that she offered to help me, to her me out. Just like that."

"Well, you always needed somebody to confide into." '_But you had nobody_.'

"But I have you."

"Yes, but we meet once a month."

"Maybe it is the reason I just snapped that night. I told her things. Personal things. It felt so good to just tell everything already. I am tired of hiding everything. And the Pensive doesn't help."

"We are all tired of it, Draco. But you know that blind tiran is better than a mad one."

"Yes, yes, I know. But sometimes everything I do seems so pointless. Why even try if it doesn't benefit you?"

"Shut this nonsense, Draco. You are doing a greatly important job. You are making history!"

"Who cares, Blaise? Who cares?" Malfoy said, sounding defeated.

"You are just selfish. One day it all will be worth it."

"I hope to not hear these words on my funeral."

"Don't be such a pessimist, Draco. You just need a good lay and the mood will be restored."

"You need it yourself, Blaise."

"Draco, I _have_ one. I can have sex any moment I like. I have a fiancée. When was the last time _you_ had sex?"

"You know when," Malfoy said in a tone that clearly said he didn't any further discussion on the topic.

"Still? I always doubt your answer," Blaise commented with a chuckle.

"Well, I am sure you don't doubt the fact that you were Pansy's first."

"Of course, I don't doubt it. I was the main witness, wasn't I?"

"Stop joking around, Blaize," Malfoy said bitterly. "I know you are doing well at your department, everything is well covered. No problems ahead. Everything is just fine!"

"Wo, wo, wo, stop it, Draco! Do you have any serious problems?" Blaize asked alert.

"It isn't exactly a problem…"

"Say it already!"

"In a week I am going to the Eastern Europe."

"And?"

"Weasley. I don't know what to do with her."

"It is a week long trip, right?"

"Yes, it is. I have no idea how to arrange all this. She makes things far too complicated for me. He probably woke up from the wrong leg the day He decided to assign her to me."

"Yeh, I was pretty surprised myself. Are you sure she was not sent to spy on you?"

"Firstly, I also thought so, but then… She acts so unlike us. She is strange. It is impossible for her to be a spy, she is too young, too pure, too -"

"Weasley," Blaise finished for him with sparkling eyes. '_He doesn't want her to be a spy. Interesting._'

"Yes, maybe this is the reason. Her genes must be very strong, but she copes really well."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw her initiation. She didn't beg for mercy or even cried. I can assure you she hasn't shed a tear since the moment she was brought here. She is not like other victims."

"She surely is, because I don't hear Pansy crying bloody murder."

"I don't know what you are talking about, but I just feel that this girl will be the death of me."

"Don't let her become another problem for you, Draco," Blaise warned, his tone serious. "I really hope you don't plan to move to this floor even in the far away future."

"You know it is impossible."

"But you are not denying the wish itself."

"Blaise," Malfoy drawled dangerously, "Don't get on my bad side."

"You realize yourself that you can't be alone all the time, Draco. Business, history and money aside."

"I think we should finish this," Malfoy concluded stiffly and stood up.

"Ok, ok, pal. Don't blow up on me. If you want I can watch Weasley during your absence."

"If it won't be a bother."

"Everything for a friend," Blaise replied with a wink.

At that very moment the balcony doors opened and two smiling women stepped out from behind them.

"You surely must visit us more often, Ginny," Pansy remarked.

"Hopefully I will in the future. But, you know, nothing depends on me."

"Have you finished, boys?" Pansy asked two astonished looking males.

"Yes, Draco was going to leave," Blaize managed to answer. Ha hasn't seen Pansy so alive, so carefree for a long time.

"Thank you for the dinner, Pansy, Blaise," Ginny said with a smile, nodding respectfully.

"Come anytime, dear," Pansy said in return.

While Malfoy and Ginny were returning to their room, she couldn't help by ask, "Why didn't you participate in the Sorting?"

"How is it any of your business?" Malfoy asked back not looking at her.

"It isn't, it is just strange why a hormoneus, 18-year-old like you, considering your duty to continue your family line, reset to be given a feminine companion." '_Oh, I just love to play on his ego!_'

"Maybe you haven't noticed, and from the first hand experience no less," he pressed out, "but with my working schedule and overall pressure I don't have time for women! Why so sudden interest! Eager to candidate for the job?!" he yelled into her face.

That cleared all the playfulness of the situation. '_Why do I really want to know? We are not even friends. I don't have any right to meddle into his life and furthermore into his love life._' "No, of course not. I just - "

"Oh, just shut up already," he exclaimed, shaking his head.

'_Splendid, just splendid. Now I screwed up a wonderful evening._'

"I was alone, I am alone and I will do alone just fine," she heard him mutter. "Why can't Blaize understand it?"

When they reached their destination it was too early to go to sleep. Malfoy sat down behind his table and started reading something over. Ginny quickly changed into her old clothes and put the new robes into the box and under her bed, where all her petite belongings were. Having nothing else to do, she lay down on the bed.

She watched him work. Hurricane of thoughts was mirrored on his face. His frown deepened and deepened with every minute. Soon he began to throw papers left and right. At that Ginny stood up, moved to the back of his chair and began to rub his shoulders. For a few seconds Malfoy didn't even register her presence, but then he jerked up so quickly that Ginny almost fell down on the floor.

"What the Hell are you doing?" he roared.

"Your concentration was askew, you were stressing out. I just wanted to help you to relax, so you could work more fruitfully."

He stretched a few times. "You may be right." Malfoy took out his wand and touched his back with it already to cast a relaxing spell.

"Wait! Can I do it?"

He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Why so friendly all of a sudden? There must be something behind it. Are you trying to bribe me with massage so I could tell you the reason why I am single? If so, then it is quite a devious plan. I have enough scheming people around me to have another one in my own room."

"Actually, I just wanted to help you, but if it can work as a bribing also, then why not?"

"If we had Charity Department you would surely be the Head of it," he said with a smirk.

"Well, have it your way," she responded with a shrug, returning to bed.

"Weasley, I didn't say no."

'_Bastard._'

So Malfoy returned to his work and Ginny – to his shoulders that appeared to be very bony. '_He must eat more or will turn into a skeleton soon. Hm, it is the first time I am touching him. Hm, what was that? He is learning into my touch! Men! They are all the same. Even Malfoys._' After half an hour she decided he had a first class massage already. "Is it enough for your story?" Ginny asked the back of his head.

"Huh?" He couldn't hear her. He was on the Seventh Heaven. He didn't remember when he felt so good in his life. '_Human touch does have some advantages in such things. Not human – feminine touch. Malfoy, you are hopeless._'

"I asked if it was enough for bribing."

"You are turning into a real Death Eater."

"And you are jumping around the bush."

He took a deep breath. "I don't want to live with somebody who hates me, that's it."

"What do you mean, hates you? I don't hate you."

"But you don't like me either, don't you?"

"Well…"

"What would you do if you had been given to Flint, for example? He could be doing whatever he wants with you, raping you on the daily basis is only one thing on the list."

"But you don't rape girls, do you?" Ginny asked with fear crawling into her heart.

"Weasley, use your logic. I don't have time to eat and sleep, how can I waste those precious hours with addition of wasting strength to rape somebody? It is just ridiculous."

"Then if you are sure you won't rape her, she won't hate you and you can have a normal relationship," she reasoned.

"Why are you digging on the subject? If you are worrying about yourself then your honor is protected."

"Well, you were so surprised that I was given to you. It looked like it was the most impossible event in the world."

"I _still_ don't know the reason. And you were not given to me, you were put under my care. The second case has certain boundaries. I think you are the only one here with such privileges. "

"Thanks Merlin. It makes life a lot easier," she said with sarcasm.

"Don't brush it away; I heard your friend, Lovegood, was killed by her owner. She didn't cover her hate well, I suppose. Nobody punished him for that."

"Poor Luna. The first time in my life I am happy, Hermione is not a pureblood."

"She is still alive? I was certain she was quite a target."

"Firstly, Hermione is smart. And secondly, Ron won't let anything happen to his wife. She is practically the only one he has except for mom. Everybody else is dead."

"I am leaving tomorrow to Germany. We'll meet on Monday at ten, as usual."

"I hope, nothing extraordinary will happen?"

"It won't."

"And the - "

"On the chair."


	8. Alone

**Chapter Eight: Alone**

Time started to move quicker for Ginny. Her new job wasn't all exciting, but it still was not so monotonous and required her full attention. On the other hand her knowledge of French wasn't big, so half of the time was spent on translation of what exactly she was reading. Only then she could do the work she was assigned to. Such slow working process naturally earned her new boss's anger. When he started yelling at her for the fifth time, she glared at him as if to say, "Shut up. You know yourself that if I don't do it, nobody will." That ended the argument. Somehow Ginny survived through the week and was preparing for a free weekend with wandering in the castle, when Fate decided to kick her again.

"I am not leaving this weekend," Malfoy stated. "I must finish everything here and on Monday I am leaving for a week."

"A week?" Ginny whispered with wide eyes.

"I do it every two months or so. I just returned, when you were brought here. Anyway, as you've probably gathered already – you are staying."

He continued to talk, but Ginny couldn't hear a word, she was so shocked. '_For a whole week? What will I do here for a whole week? Alone? How will I go to meals? How will I work? Who will I talk to?_'

Her desperate thoughts were interrupted by rough shaking of her shoulders. "Weasley! Are you listening to me?!"

"Ah huh, I…Sorry, I wasn't," she answered, looking at her hands guiltily.

"I was saying that your schedule wasn't changing due to my plans. You still have a free weekend."

"Oh, ok."

"What is it with you? Aren't you happy to get rid of me for a whole week? To do what you want?"

"I can't do what I want with or without you. If I could, I wouldn't have been here in the first place," Ginny said with a sigh.

The following two days were full of dread for Ginny. She didn't know herself, where that felling had come from. She certainly didn't miss Malfoy, but on the other hand, she's got used to his presence. She felt like she was thrown into a black box with no light or exit. Ginny subconsciously considered Malfoy to be her guidance through this unfamiliar world. He told her what to do and she did it without thinking, valuating her options, considering other ways… Yes, she used her brain and logic, but the feeling of independence was taken away from her. In almost three months she forgot how to make her own decisions.

Malfoy was like a brick wall to her. Yes, they cleared everything between them, he wasn't any protector of hers, but to Ginny he was like a connection between two different worlds she lived in: her school years and her current life. She understood that only because her guardian was Malfoy, a familiar person from the past, she didn't take her situation seriously. It was more like good old school days, but with the fact that she will be left alone for week came realization that they were not having school rivalries any more; she was on the enemy territory and now will be left alone in the snakes' den.

Sunday evening came too quickly for Ginny. Sitting quietly on her bed, she received her last instructions.

"This is the keys to the office. You must open and close it every working day. Don't leave those three oafs alone even for a moment."

"Why? You don't trust your own workers?"

"I trust nobody here, especially them. There are secrets in that room. Secrets that can make a man rich in an hour. And this is unacceptable."

"But you trust _me_ to guard your secrets."

"You can't use them to your personal benefit. You don't know what I am talking about."

"But they can bribe me to leave the office to use the toilet, for example." Ginny noticed him biting his lower lip. '_He didn't think about it! He was sure that I wouldn't betray him. Of course, I won't, there is no use in it for me._'

"Damn, I didn't consider it as an option. I don't want to close the office as I do usually. This period is very important. Damn! What to do?... What to do?..."

"Malfoy, stop it. I said, they _could_ not they _would. _You'll find all your papers on the places you left them today. I promise."

"Next time, Weasley," he began dangerously, "when you want to joke about vitally important things, just shut up!" He took several calming breaths and continued, "Don't let anybody see or touch these keys. If you loose them or give an opportunity to somebody to copy them, I will personally kill you. Purpose or not."

"But then you will also be - "

"Killed. I know. There won't be any reason for me to live anyway."

Ginny was frightened by his words. Could it be possible that a simple pair of keys could represent the source and meaning of life? If so, she will treasure them as her own honor. She didn't want to die, but she also didn't want _him_ to die. "They won't find them, I swear."

"They better not. And one more thing." His dagger landed at her feet. "This is for you. Use only if there is absolutely no other way. Actually, you are not allowed to have any weapons, but it is just utterly stupid to throw you into the snakes' den empty handed. If something really drastic happens or you feel you are Imperioused, press your Dark Mark with other hand. It is an emergency call."

"And what will happen?"

"You will see yourself, but hopefully you won't need it."

With one last stern glance he left the bedroom.

"Good bye, Malfoy." That night Ginny cried herself to sleep.

Monday morning was met by Ginny with hesitance and feeling of hidden threat. The only bright side of that day, she decided, was that nobody worked in the office on Mondays. So at least one day will be spared.

She went to the Dining Hall for breakfast, head high, as if nothing unusual was happening. After sitting down, Ginny tried to find Pansy or Blaise, but they seemed to be absent. She put a thick volume beside her so nobody could seat on the free space near her. The book was taken from Malfoy's work table in the bedroom, which, as Ginny found out by accident, wasn't electrified this time.

When she reached the office doors, she checked the hallway for pass-byers and only then she made sure nobody was coming, she took out the keys from the string on her knickers. Ginny supposed it was the safest place, so when anyone attempts to take them, he would be punished by the Dark Lord for trying to rape her. The idea seemed to be clever to her.

The empty office was an unusual sight for Ginny. The only activity happened to be near the post opening, where owls were flying back and forth.

'_So quiet and peaceful. Taking a look at this room now, nobody can say that big business is done here. Or highly important secrets are kept in between these parchments. Speaking of secrets…_'

Ginny went to a nearby table, took a quill and threw it at Malfoy's big table. The quill was burnt to nonexistence.

'_So he isn't that trustful after all. Ok, no touching of the table. And I won't mention it to the others, of course._'

The day was passed by busing herself with sorting and working through her bunch of French letters.

The first day alone.

Tuesday happened to be much fuller of activities.

After breakfast Ginny hurried to the office, quickly unlocked the door and shut it behind her. That day was bringing another challenge: Ginny's colleagues were coming in mere minutes.

'_Why am I feeling like Little Red Riding Hood? Oh, maybe because I am to stay in one room with three wanded Death Eaters completely unprotected? Well, not completely…_' Ginny traced the dagger secured in her waistband.

Luckily for her, Ginny remained alone till one o'clock. She sorted all the letters and without a second thought started on her job. During exactly this action, lazily and with big reluctance, three black robed figures stumbled into the office. Ginny didn't acknowledge their appearance.

"Damn, his bitch is here," she heard one of them mutter.

"So what? We can get rid of her in a second," his companion whispered back.

'_Do they think I am deaf?_' Ginny thought, secretly watching the trio grumpily take their usual places. '_Or are they attempting to scare me so I'll give up willingly? Well, I surely feel goose bumps of fear on my back. Stop it, Ginny! Stop it! You are a gryffindor! Even without a wand you are capable of quite something._'

Meanwhile nobody made any movement. All four were scribing into their gross books, like perfect students. It continued till four o'clock. Returning from the meal, Ginny was on pins and needles. She knew they were up to something. Something very bad and definitely unpleasant to her. It will be thrice unpleasant after Malfoy finds out that she failed to protect vitally important 'secrets'. Ginny knew that Malfoy wasn't very comfortable with 'failing' anything.

Fortunately, she again managed to unlock office's doors with needed precautions and no problems. Three Death Eaters followed soon after and started to circle around the room instead of sitting down. Ginny returned to her work as if not noticing anything unusual but tensed on the inside.

"So, Weasley, how is it to live with a stuck up boss of ours?" one of them asked, passing Ginny from behind.

"Nothing special," she squeezed out of her.

"Are you sure? Maybe he mentioned something about his future strategy?" another asked, probably Beverly.

"No, he doesn't mention anything around me," Ginny answered with more confidence, at the same time following the moving figures with her glance.

"How unfortunate and we hoped you could help us. He is so secretive. The Dark Lord doesn't trust him anymore. We were assigned to look after Malfoy, so he couldn't do anything that is not in the interests of our Lord. Do you know anything about that?"

'_What crap are they feeding me? And even if it isn't, why should I give them this information? If Malfoy goes against Voldemort, then he is working for the Light Side - in my interests. Why should I betray _my own _interests? Wait a minute, does Malfoy work for the Light Side?_'

"Answer, you muggle lover!" Robinson yelled, shoving Ginny on the back.

Ginny clenched her teeth. '_If I come out of this alive, Malfoy owes me a big one._' "I know nothing."

"What are the ceremonies for? We just stun her and take what we need!"

"Shut up, you idiot! We don't know _what _we need to take." Phisby hissed.

"And how does _she_ know then? We have been working here for more than a year and still know nothing!"

While they were bickering about nothing, Ginny slowly moved to the safety of Malfoy's table. You are probably asking yourselves why three grown up wanded wizards couldn't decide on their course of action, arguing like fool. Firstly, they really were fools, who wanted some easy money, having no brains to earn their own. Secondly, Ginny's presence was a total surprise to them. They were surprised even before by Malfoy, who told them that week wouldn't be a vacation for their "lazy butts", but office would be open. Usually it was closed during Malfoy's long time departure.

Now they didn't know what to do or where to find what they wanted. Ginny Weasley was an unwelcome complication.

'_What I am to do? What I am to do?_' Ginny thought frantically, staying close to Malfoy's table, but keeping save distance from the wood.

"Where is that bitch?" Beverly suddenly asked. "Oh, there you are, trying to hide behind the table, aren't you? It won't help you in any way. Even if you don't have any useful information, we can have some fun."

Ginny curled into a ball, praying that the hex would protect her, at least a tiny bit. Luck was on her side; the moment the Death Eater tried to grab her, he was electrified and fell on the floor, moaning from pain.

"Enough of these games already!" Phisby, the oldest of them, exclaimed. "Imperio."

Ginny felt her head became lighter, tension left her body, but a small voice in the depths of her mind retuned her to reality. '_No! Stop it! No way!_' With the last bits of strength Ginny pressed the Dark Mark.

For a few moments nothing happened, but then the room became chilly and three Death Eaters' faces turned as pale as snow. Three Dementors materialized from thin air; without a sound or useless movements they took paralyzed Death Eaters and disappeared.

Ginny remained on the floor for another half an hour dumbstruck with shock and fear.

The next day Ginny worked in the office alone. She sorted out the letters again, wondering about where they were coming from and what secrets could possible be hidden in simple pieces of parchment. She quickly worked through French letters, being already at ease with the language.

'_So what do I do now? Hm, maybe I can try German letters? I don't know the language, of course, but I can use dictionaries… Wait a second. What am I doing? Looking for more work? Strangely a thought about doing nothing and relaxing hasn't even crossed my mind! I am turning into Malfoy! My super workaholic boss! But then, what else to do here?_'

Ginny was about to start studying the German alphabet, when Pansy's voice popped up in her head. "Hello, Ginny."

"Urgh, hi, Pansy," Ginny said hesitantly, still not used to hearing voices in her mind.

"Can you come for tea after dinner tonight?"

"Well, I guess I can."

"Blaise will meet you at the doors of the Dining Hall after then. Is it ok with you?"

"Yes, of course."

"See you then."

'_Hm, that can be interesting_.'

As was planned, Blaise and Ginny in her 'dress' robes met at the Hall doors and reached Blaise and Pansy's chambers without a problem.

"Hello, Ginny dear," Pansy greeted her, opening the door.

"Good evening, Pansy. Your invitation was quite unexpected."

"Did you think, I would wait another two months for Draco to finally visit us? No way," Pansy replied with a giggle.

"I just thought I am not supposed to go anywhere without Malfoy," Ginny began unsurely.

"Even if this is the case, we are meeting _after_ dinner, not during it," Pansy explained, ushering Ginny into the living room, where a tea service was set already.

'_An innocent meeting, but everything is still thought through. Nothing can be done without Voldemort playing a part in it,_' Ginny thought, sitting down on a sofa across Pansy and Blaise.

"So how is it going without Draco so far?" Blaise started the conversation.

'_Utterly boring_.' "Ok, I guess."

"I heard you had called Dementors the other day."

"Well yeah." Ginny looked at her lap. "I didn't know _they_ would come. Malfoy just told me to use it if I would be Imperiosed or on extreme circumstances."

"Actually, Ginny, only high rank Death Eaters know and allowed to use this measure of punishment," Pansy said, exchanging a knowing glance with Blaise.

"Who knows, what punishment awaits me, when Malfoy returns and sees piles of undone letters. I am doomed."

"I am sure he was informed about the situation already, so he will surely draw a logical conclusion that if there are no people to do the work, it won't be done," Blaise said in an attempt to cheer Ginny up.

"How do you do it, by the way?" Ginny asked.

"Do what?"

"Communicate. Pop up in my head?"

"Oh, that's easy," Pansy started to explain, rolling up her sleeve to make the Dark Mark visible. "If I point with my wand to the right eye of the scull I call the Dark Lord. If I want to speak to anyone else I touch the left eye and say the needed person's name or a number of them. But you better not do it in public place or you'll be thought of as crazy; talking to yourself and everything," she finished with a smile.

"Why doesn't Malfoy speak out loud, when he converses with others? I saw him a couple of times."

"Well, he can do it without talking. He received a…special…training," Pansy answered slowly, like choosing the right words.

Felling that she was fishing in dangerous waters, Ginny decided to change the topic. "So, Blaise, can you tell me what are you doing here? I mean, if it isn't a top secret business."

"Nothing much. I am the future Head of the Transport Department."

"Transport? Like Portkeys and Apparition?" Ginny asked confused.

"Among other things."

"Excuse me, Blaise, but I remember you being quite smart at Hogwarts. Why didn't you take a post of higher importance?"

"Well, Ginny, there are some things not worth fighting for."

'_Things not worth fighting for. This phrase again. What does it mean?_'

"For example, Draco's post is very high, but I wouldn't take it even for the whole power of the world."

"You want to say, his job is worthless?" Ginny inquired, not even noticing how defensive she sounded.

"Of course not, it is vitally important to the country, but it is very deadly. And I have a family to care about."

"Oh." '_He said important to the country, not to the Dark Lord. I wonder what this means._'

"He will work himself to death if he keeps this pace," Pansy added with deep concern. "Maybe you can watch him a bit." Ginny's eyebrows started to rise. "You know, stop him from concentrating so hard on his job. Make him eat and sleep more. Well…"

"Get a life?" Ginny finished for her, totally taken aback by Pansy's request. "I am not his nanny and really don't wish to candidate for the place. Actually, it is the other way around: _I_ am under _his_ care. So it is utterly ridiculous." Ginny wanted to bring a whole list of reasons, but then saw entreaty in Pansy's eyes and worry on Blaise's face and shut it. '_What had Malfoy gotten himself into?_'


	9. New Solutions

**A/N: Merry Christmas to everyone! I was kinda lazy and didn't type anything for you, but I was writing like crazy lately and have almost finished this fic, so any wishes, questions and ideas are welcome, because I am not sure about the ending (18th chapter to be more precise). But for you it is still far away so let go on with the story.**

**Chapter Nine: New Solutions**

Ginny was sleeping like a dead log, utterly exhausted after working through the weekend. Yes, she didn't want to turn into a workaholic like Malfoy. Yes, she wasn't obliged to organize and go through the English letters that piled up because there had been no one to work with them. She knew it wasn't her business or fault, but Ginny didn't have anything to do so… she spent her free weekend on the English letters. She shuddered ever time on the thought how angry Malfoy would be when he found out she had caused him another failure.

So even her sleep was deep it was troubled. That's why she easily heard rustling sounds from Malfoy's side of the room. She decided to ignore it, but Pansy's pleading eyes materialized in front of her. '_Oh, bugger. If Malfoy decided to a have a boxing round with his pillow again, I'll reverse the situation by banging his head with the same pillow!_' Ginny groggily stood up and dragged herself to her guardian's bed.

What she saw there quickly made her wake up. Malfoy was thrashing around, bed sheets twisted tightly around his body. His arms were making some weird dance, trying to grab something in the air. '_Oh, Merlin, he will strangle himself with the sheets if he moves any further._' Her only idea, even if an irrational one, made her climb onto the bed and sit down onto his stomach, preventing any body movement. After a bit of a struggle his arms were secured also. Unfortunately, all these actions didn't stop Malfoy's tossing and turning.

"Wake up, Malfoy!" she shouted as loudly as her drowsy state allowed her. No reaction what so ever. "Wake up, you ferret git!" The same result. "Oh, man, I am really gonna to regret this." She took a deep breath and placed a heavy slap on Malfoy's cheek. And then another and another. Ginny was in the middle of the forth slap, when his eyes snapped open and stared at her with a blank look with fear hidden deep inside.

"Why are you sitting on me?" he asked in a low voice.

Ginny stared back at him. He didn't ask anything like "Why did you wake me up?! How dare you slap me?! Even touch me?!!" But maybe because he was Malfoy, he asked the most accurate question.

"Huh, huh, well, you were tossing and turning," she began slowly, moving off of the bed, eyes downcast. "It was the only way to stop you, stop your nightmare. Now you can go back to sleep."

"I don't want to," he breathed out, fixing his gaze on the ceiling.

"Bad news?" Ginny asked from the darkness of the room with a slight trembling in her voice.

"Quite the opposite. I will be most probably promoted after I report."

"Good night, then." A deep tired sigh was an answer to her. "What is it with you, Malfoy?" she exclaimed with irritation. "You have good news, you won't be tortured tomorrow, you'll get a promotion and tell off all the Death Eaters who anxiously want you to fail; everything is just wonderful, a piece of cake!"

"And good news in your understanding is?"

"When your Lord is pleased, what else?"

"But I must be also pleased with it, so I could work further in the needed direction. Needed for _me_."

"Against the Dark Lord?"

"It is my business."

"Meaning it isn't mine?"

"Meaning _I _am going to deal with it and _you_ are going back to bed."

"What is the promoting news? Just woman's curiosity."

"Which is going to kill you? Anyway, the fabulous news is about the situation in the Eastern Europe, which happens to be the same as one we had five years ago – civil war is the name for it."

"Civil war?! In like what? Seven countries? But it is a disaster!"

"Not from the Dark Lord's point of view. Anyway, go to bed. I won't get any sleep as it is, but I am used to it. As you know, I hate my workers sleeping at work."

"Can't I take that sleeping potion of yours? It is in your interests."

"Hm, why not?"

"So you are going to research the holes in the ceiling till eight o'clock in the morning?"

"I think so. I haven't observed the left corner yet."

"Do you know you are pathetic? Drink warm milk or something."

"Why don't you suggest the potion for _me_, then?"

"Because you took it the day before yesterday. With frequent taking it causes addiction. You said so yourself."

"And you remembered."

"Well, I still have some available room in my brain, even if most of it is full with your yelling."

"Weasley, have you slept off all the weekend? Or you just don't want to give at least some peace? Take the potion and go to sleep."

"But of you don't sleep you'll yell at me all day long tomorrow."

"You are jumping around the bush, Weasley. What do you want?"

"I want you to go to sleep."

"But I don't _want_ to!"

"But you must!"

"You are entering an unfriendly territory, Weasley. Even if I went from Hell and back during last week, I still have enough strength to knock you out," Malfoy said in an intimidating whisper.

Ginny didn't know why all of a sudden she wanted him to sleep, to have at least some rest, to stop running… and then it hit her. "You don't want to have another nightmare, do you?" she asked softly.

"And what do you think? I am not a masochist."

"You are a workaholic."

"What do you want from me, Weasley? To confess that I am afraid of nightmares? Nightmares about burned down towns; corpses, lying around in layers; women, running with their children or infants, running for shelter but finding none, only death on the tip of a wand. No, I don't want to see it again after witnessing it all week with my own eyes."

"I can tell you a bed time story," she suggested out of blue. Malfoy gave you a look that clearly said, 'Are you nuts?'. "Why not? You just lie down and listen. It always helped me to go to sleep." She sat down at the head of his bed. "Just close your eyes and relax."

He did as he was told. "You are going to regret it."

"But you won't." Ginny took a deep breath and began her first tale, "Once upon a time lived a young wizard. He came from an ancient pure-blooded family. His name was…Andrew. He wasn't very handsome, but still rather cute and, most importantly, kind. He attended Hogwarts, as any other wizard. Surprisingly even to him, he was sorted into Gryffindor, meeting quite a bunch of friends there.

Andrew was quite active young man. Even if he studied with an assiduity and determination of a good student, he never wasted a sunny day on sitting in the Library. He wasn't in the Quiddich Team, but still liked to have a game or two with his friends.

He made his parents proud when he was made the Prefect, but everything changed in his seventh year. His grades started to drop, he became moody and snappy to his classmates and even professors, which resulted in numerous detentions. The reason was simple – a girl, with a name Millicent. She was three years younger than him. He always wondered why he hadn't noticed her earlier, but it was the last of his problems. Even being only fourteen years old, she was quite popular among all Houses.

For Andrew it was only a moment needed for his world to be changed forever. They run into each other at the Portrait Hole. He fell in love on the first sight.

It was quite flattering for a fourth year girl to have a seventh year interested in her, but Millicent had practically all fourth, fifth and sixth years rapped around her pretty finger. Andrew was crashed, having nothing special to give her. He wasn't handsome or rich or outgoing. He wasn't experienced either. But the most frightening fact was that after graduation in half a year he could never see her again.

And was unacceptable for the crazy in love teenager. He wasn't a gryffindor for nothing; he approached her several times to ask her out, but every time something happened, as if Fate itself prevented it. But Andrew didn't give up.

Little didn't he know that not only Millicent was flattered by his attention, she welcomed it. She was unconsciously attracted to the cute, high, freckled boy, who was so determined to go out with her, when there were plenty of pretty girls in his year.

Fate was cruel to the two and they didn't manage to tell about their feelings to each other. Andrew was leaving school with a heavy heart, but on the last minute, he grabbed Millicent, taking her hands in hers and promised to come for her. She gave him a tender smile and kissed him on the cheek. That made Andrew's heart much lighter.

Exactly three years later Andrew came to Hogwarts to Millicent's graduation. Of course, he was afraid she had chosen another that she simply had forgotten about him already. He was pleasantly surprised to find out that she not only remembered him and was by his side the moment appeared in the Entrance Hall; but she remained dateless till his arrival.

When he asked what she would do if he hadn't come, she replied she had been sure he would come; he promised, didn't he?

They dated for two years. She coped with his craziness about muggles and he – with her wild temper. The political situation wasn't exactly suitable for romantic relationships, but something that started as a school crush soon developed into a deep feeling of passionate love and complete devotion. Even if they weren't neither beautiful nor rich couple in the world they were happy and in love," Ginny finished with a distant look. She surely wasn't right now in the castle of the Dark Lord, but far away on a green meadow, facing a cottage of unbelievable construction. After a brief reminiscing, she looked down on her 'listener', who was soundly asleep. '_Peaceful at last. He looks more like a big child than a highly ranked Death Eater._'

The potion gave Ginny a refreshing sleep, so she had no problems with getting up at 8 am on Monday. When she got up though, Malfoy was still sleeping. That really surprised her. Knowing he had a reason for everything, she went to the bathroom. Emerging out of it, she returned to the same picture.

'_What the Hell? It is nine already and he doesn't even stir! He must report at ten or else! Wait a minute, he is to report at nine and be at the office by ten, so why isn't he getting up? And, why am I so worked up about it? Well, I have no other choice._'

Ginny stepped to Malfoy's bed and bent to his ear. "Rise and shine, Malfoy! It is time to wake up and do your beloved work!" she said in so quite sing-song voice. It didn't work. "So you want me to slap you again, huh? Well, my pleasure but - " His eyebrows began to twitch. "So now you listening to me?! Get your ass out of bed and march to the office!" she yelled into his face.

Malfoy opened his eyes and fixed her with a glare. When he acknowledged the fact she was fully clothed and ready his expression turned into one of confusion. Why was _she _waking him up, if usually he perfectly did it in his own?

Reading his disoriented look Ginny explained, "You've overslept. It is nine already. And being a perfect worker I am, I decided to wake you up, because we must be at the office at ten sharp," she finished in a voice of authority.

"So? You have the keys, you can go there alone," were his words of the day. No 'good morning' of course.

Ginny's jaw dropped onto the floor. Of course, she could! But she just couldn't leave him here. It was irrational, illogical, not like was the order of things there. And eve if she didn't admit it she was slightly worried about him. Worried, he wouldn't report on time and be punished. Worried about the reason of his sleeping for so long, about his nightmares…

"What about your report?"

"I sent the general message yesterday night. I can fully report later. After breakfast probably. And you ruined my sleep. I had such a wonderful dream and you ruined it!"

'_Whatever I do right or wrong, he still shouts at me._' "Well, now you know what I feel every morning!" Ginny shouted back.

He only grunted and got out of bed, heading to the bathroom. Ginny noticed that he had his usual clock on. '_So he didn't even change last night. He must've been really exhausted._'

When Malfoy returned he already changed and looked like nothing unpleasant happened to me lately. He took two boxes from under his bed and gave them to Ginny. "These are for you."

She blinked a few times out of pure astonishment, but took the boxes. In them she found two pairs of shoes: one black, which went perfectly with her 'dress robes' and another – also black, but with tougher protector. "Uh, thank you," she said softly, still staring at the shoes.

"Don't mention it. So you were saying we have a lot of work to do?"

And as always without telling her, he was leaving already, he stormed out of the room and to the Dining Hall. Ginny managed to catch up with him only half the way there.

"As I was informed you decided to rearrange the office, Weasley?" Malfoy asked the moment she joined him, out of breath.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I am missing three workers now, aren't I?"

"Oh, that. I am really sorry. I didn't know they would be taken or anything. One was really Imperiousing me!" Ginny defended herself.

"Don't mention it."

"What do you mean, don't mention it? I summoned bloody Dementors! Those poor lads are probably dead just because I was scared they attack me!"

"But the did attempt to attack you, so your actions were completely normal and authorized by me. They were fools anyway."

Ginny stopped abruptly. "Is there a room we can talk in?"

"Talk?" he asked in a suggestive tone.

"Yes. Talk. You know a room out of the earshot," she finished in a whisper. Malfoy raised one eyebrow, but showed her a room behind a portrait nearby. "Now put your favorite charms," she instructed.

Of course he understood right away what she wanted from him, but the purpose of all this was hidden from him. When the wave of the silencing charms subsided, Ginny yelled, "You knew it would happen! That's why you told me about the alarm signal! You wanted them to be taken away! You knew they would try to pry into the papers during your absence and set everything up!"

"So? Wasn't it a brilliant plan?"

"Brilliant plan?! You used me to kill three men!"

"They were no men, they were three bloody Death eaters who were sent to spy on me, to report my every action!" Malfoy shouted, loosing his temper. "They were good for nothing idiots! And nothing more!"

"And that's why you have the right to eliminate them? Only because they are not intelligent?"

"No, because they were hampering my business, my office, my department. And I need people who I can work with. Somebody, who can at least some of my work."

"And where do you suppose to get them? The Dark Lord will send another trio and it will begin all over again."

"He won't. Because I've already hired three men who I am sure suit perfectly for the job. You will meet them after breakfast, which we are already late to."

"Oh." '_He seems to plan everything for a lifetime!_'

As told, Ginny was introduced by Malfoy to her new colleagues, when everyone entered the office. "This id Ginevra Weasley," he said to three young men, who were too handsome for there own good. "This is Bernard, Richard and Raymond," Malfoy pointed from left to the right.

Ginny nodded to each of them neutrally, but couldn't help but wonder where did they had come from and why Malfoy have chosen them of all people. After brief instructing the trio began their work as if they have been doing it for their whole lives.

When it was almost four o'clock when the work day of the English secretaries officially ended, they stood up and neared Malfoy's table. "Good day, mister Malfoy. I hope we will add to your business success." The four of them shook hands and the newcomers left with carefree and confident gait.

From her sitting position Ginny noticed a small red 'M' on the back side of their wrists, when their sleeves went a bit up during handshaking. "What's up with the 'M' on their right wrists?" she asked, continuing going through another report.

"Weasley, we have a problem."

"Oh, what now?" she asked without trying to hide her irritation.

"Firstly, you had brains, but now you are too smart for your own good. You weren't supposed to notice that."

"This is your problem then, not mine. You should've hidden it better."

"Damn."

"So what this letter stands for?"

"This is my mark."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"You mean, they are your followers or something?"

"Of course not. They are men, People I can trust. If I remember right there are thirty seven of them now. They work only for me."

"Mark me too then."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"What for?"

"I thought you trusted me."

"What gave you the idea?" Malfoy asked in a tone of backing off.

She showed him two precious keys to the office, which were still in her possession. "I know why you placed your mark on them. And I see no reason why you can't do it to me."

"Please, enlighten me on the first point."

"So you could communicate with them without anybody or _certain somebody_ hearing you," Ginny stated, satisfied with how his expression changed from smug to defeated.

"Ok, come here. You know too much anyway," he muttered.

He put his wand onto her right wrist and began to move it slowly, drawing the 'M' letter. Then the wand went back, burning the letter shape onto the skin. It was quite painful to say the least. With another wave of the wand the mark was transformed into a scar.

"That will cover it. When it turns red, press it and the mark will be revealed. Then press the mark and you will hear me."

"What about me? Can _I_ initiate the contact?"

"Hm, without a wand… I don't know. Probably not. I'll think about it."

"So am I the only woman in this community? Does it have a name, by the way?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Weasley. You are the third one."

"And who are the others? Must be really intelligent women for you to even acknowledge them, Mr I-don't-have-time-for-women."

"Yes, they are very intelligent. Maybe you won't ever reach their level. One works in Italy and the other one maintains Scandinavian region. You are no match for them."

'_As I want to be. Well, maybe someday…_'

"And about the name…I prefer to call them the Mortal Businessmen or Mortals for short."

"Unusual name."

"We _are_ unusual."

"Well, if they stick to _you _then they surely are."

"I won't rub it into your face this time."

"Yeh, yeh, and now I am one of them."

A/N: What are the best presents for Christmas? Your reviews of course which I absolutely love. But I also want to thank everybody who reviewed so far and 'alerted' people. I am very glad that somebody waits for reading this fic. Thank you all very much!


	10. Shit Has Got Real

**A/N: To the usual disclaimer I want to add that the title of this chapter is a phrase taken from the movie "Bad Boys 2", which I absolutely adore.**

**Chapter ten: Shit Has Got Real**

Life went on in the gloomy castle of Lord Voldemort. Malfoy did get promoted so they were sitting even further up than when Ginny arrived. Ginny's new colleagues worked efficiently and overall office work process began to run faster without loosing its high value.

Ginny watched as pleased Malfoy looked, like a father of children, when everything he put into their upbringing finally started to pay off. Although after two weeks of their collective work a frown crossed his peaceful features.

"Richard, come here," he order sternly.

Richard neared Malfoy's table with bewilderment and slight fear, having no idea why he was summoned.

"You can take her if you want," Malfoy said without lowering his voice so everybody in the room could hear him.

Ginny was the first to jerk her head up. They were obviously talking about her.

"I don't understand what you are talking about," Richard responded.

"I am not blind, Richard. Sideway glances, smiles when you catch her look, staring at her during meals… I am her rightful guardian. You can take my place if you want her so much. But you'll do it all on your own. Neither I nor Miss Weasley will interfere. Still Miss Weasley must decide herself on her future."

Only now Malfoy looked at her and Ginny instantly noticed tension in his glance. He didn't want to be in this situation. Especially not now when everything started to move upwards. Spirits and business alike.

"You understand what the problem we have here, I suppose?" he asked Ginny who looked lost.

"Can I think about it?" she managed to say, having no idea how to deal with the situation.

"Of course. And Richard," Malfoy turned back to the embarrassed looking man, "I hope Miss Weasley's choice won't jeopardize our relationship."

"I hope so too, sir." Richard took his place at the table and after taking a deep sigh returned to his work. Actually, he was sure that his affections wouldn't be noticed. He was not exactly a rookie in the Mortals, but still didn't know Malfoy enough to know that it was really hard to hide anything from him.

In the other corner of the room sat Miss Weasley, who was not only confused and scared, she simply didn't want to do anything. She didn't want to change everything again. She hardly knew the man in the first place.

Suddenly she felt tickling at her right wrist. She restrained a chuckle and looked at it – the scar was red. She pressed it two times and felt something entering her head. '_Tickling?_' her first thought was.

'_And you wanted a crucial pain that makes you want to cut her hand off?_' Malfoy's sarcastic voice echoed in her head. '_Anyway, I know that you are not working, but thinking about Richard's proposal right now. Hm, it really sounds like a proposal…_'

'_You made it, not him,_' Ginny interrupted.

'_It doesn't matter. He is just too shy to make the first move so quickly._'

'_Why are you rushing things then? He could perfectly do it on his own in a couple of weeks._'

'_He was distracted. On the other hand, I can't stand it._'

'_Can't stand what?_' Ginny asked, realizing that there was much more about the ordeal than simple change of quarters for her.

'_I advise you to move in with him. He is a good guy. Very…caring. You won't have any problems with him. He has a lot of fun on the weekends._'

'_As if it is the deciding argument,_' she thought with irritation.

'_I heard that. You have time to decide till tomorrow morning._'

With that her mind was left contented only with troubled thoughts. Frankly speaking, the very first thought that came to her mind was 'Who would you choose a younger or an older one?'

'_But they are both young! What are you thinking, Ginny?! You are not supposed to think of them like about choosing a date from two guys._

_Let's look at the possibilities. If Richard wants me then he must at least like me in some romantic way. This is definitely a pro. On the other hand I met him only two weeks ago. It is too early to make such a commitment with him. Bugger, why couldn't Malfoy wait a bit? Wants to get rid of me that much? Damn him. I really should accept Richard. But I still want to hear it from him. Yes, we need to talk before I decide on anything. I must talk to both of them._'

With that in mind Ginny waited for dinner when she planned to converse with Richard.

"Can I talk to you, Richard?" Ginny asked, sitting in the Dining Hall. Only now she noticed that Richard always sat beside her at meals. Malfoy was impassively eating on the other side of her.

"Yes, of course," he replied, chewing on a chicken leg.

"Why do you want to be my guardian?"

Richard choked on his food. Malfoy smirked into his goblet.

"Why do you ask?"

"I think it is quite obvious. If you don't, then say so. Maybe Malfoy misinterpreted your behavior and we can just forget about the whole thing?" Ginny asked in a serious tone.

"Well, yes, I mean, no. I do like you, Ginny. I am just not ready to such commitment," he answered a bit shakily.

"Well, you are not marring me or something. It is just for a year or two. I'll probably fulfill my purpose by then and will be killed like just any other prisoner. So don't worry about it," she said absolutely evenly.

"Ginny, I… don't know what to say to that. I just wanted to take care of you, maybe even marry you someday. But now, it is just too soon and maybe we should get to know each other more - "

"What House were you in?" Ginny interrupted, her expression saying she had no interest whatsoever in what he was going to say next.

"What?"

"Were you studying in Hogwarts?"

"Yes, I was in Ravenclaw."

"Figures," Ginny stated, shaking her head. '_Handsome chicken._' Malfoy smirked again.

When the work day was over and Ginny with Malfoy reached the bedroom she decided to corner him needing an explanation of his actions

"Why did you interfere, Malfoy? Everything was okay and you decided to give a cold shower to poor bloke."

"Because it is what real men do. Take it or leave it."

"Relationships are not built up like that."

"There are no relationships here, Weasley. Here you are either single or engaged, nothing in between."

"But you and I are in between. We are neither single nor engaged."

'_She is right, dammit._' "Don't make a fuss about it. Just go to him and finish this farce!"

"So eager to get of me, are you, Malfoy?!" Ginny yelled, finally loosing her temper. "I am just a problem for you, aren't I? Just a bargain that spoils your perfect Death Eater life! I know I mean nothing to you. I know I am just another task. I know that you'll forget me the moment I leave you. But, please, don't throw it into my face all the time! Be human just once!

I'll go to Richard just to prove you wrong! And I am sure he will take me in because he is a man. He won't leave me sleeping on the cold floor! Ready or not he will take me in, because _you_ threw me out like some broken thing!"

Malfoy slammed the door so hard that half of the papers fell down onto the floor. He roughly pulled up his right sleeve and touched a big 'M' on his wrist with his wand. '_Blaise! Firewhisky! Now!_' Ten minutes later he stormed into Blaise and Pansy's chambers where Blaise met him with an utterly astonished face and a bottle of Firewhisky.

"What happened, mate? You haven't drunk Firewhisky in two years. What's the occasion?"

"Weasley," Malfoy spat and took a large gulp from the very bottle.

Blaise watched him with wide eyes. He knew Malfoy for fifteen years and never saw him like that. "Calm down, Draco. Calm down," he led Malfoy to an armchair, taking the bottle from him, before he did another gulp. "Now tell me exactly what the problem is with the Weasley girl."

Malfoy learned into the armchair and closed his eyes. He felt the liquid was warming up his insides. He really needed that. "She is a walking problem as it is," he began much calmer. "You know about my new staff?" Blaise nodded. Malfoy didn't saw him because of his closed eyes, but continued without waiting for his answer. "From the first day, one of them, Richard, started to bat his eyelashes at Weasley. None of my business, of course. One day, two days, a week, another one. I couldn't take it anymore, so I told Richard he can have her and Weasley – she can choose.

I gave her a bloody choice, Blaise!" Malfoy exclaimed, locking his stormy gaze with Blaise's. "I could've just shoved her to him without any explanation! And that lover boy has chickened out! He didn't want to take any responsibility, just wanted to have a woman, that's bloody all! And we came to our room and that bitch has accused me of being a heartless bastard! Do you hear me, Blaise? That heartless bastard let her not be just a mindless thing in the office, bought her clothes without asking anything in return, trusted her with his most precious secrets and she calls me inhuman, because with giving her over to Richard I am throwing her out, getting rid if her like a nuisance! Bloody Hell! I just wanted to do what was better for her!"

"You bought her clothes?" Blaize inquired with a small smile.

"Were you even listening to me?!"

"Of course I did. And I think you are both overreacting. You just need to talk things through. And it was really silly of you to pose the question of Richard's guidance so drastically and so quickly. How was Weasley reacting by the way?"

"Reacting to what?"

"To his eyelashes' batting."

"She didn't have a clue."

"What was your reasoning then?"

"I don't know, Blaise. I don't know anything anymore," Malfoy groaned, taking his head into his hands.

"You are just jealous, that's all."

"Merlin, Blaise! Jealous of what? I don't want any romantic attention from Richard thank you very much!"

"No you idiot! You are jealous of Ginny."

"You are nuts, Zabini. Have you been drinking anything before I came?"

"Face it, Draco. You've become dangerously possessive of her. All this choosing between him and you was only for you to find out her feelings towards you. Quite selfish, I may say."

"Blaise, you've gone mutters. It is utterly impossible."

"Well, you don't have any explanation so I provided you with one. Now go back and apologize."

Malfoy made several deep breaths and stood up. With a tired gait he headed towards the door.

"You forgot to say 'as if!'," Blaise shouted at his retreating back.

"You know, it is pointless and, moreover, childish. All I know that it is she who must apologize and if she doesn't then her choice is clear. She will still remain where she is now. It is just a change in sleeping arrangements."

After Malfoy left Blaise poured himself a glass of Firewhisky. '_It is a lot more than change in sleeping arrangements, especially for you, Draco._'

On the other floor of the castle Ginny was sitting cross-legged on her bed, contemplating what had just happened. She has lost her temper, yes. It wasn't a good thing. Yes, she had a reason for it. A very serious reason, but she didn't want anybody to know it. She felt embarrassed about it and thought it was absolutely logical at the same time. The reason was simple – she was scared. Scared to be left out, not needed. Again.

She adjusted to this new contradictional world, trying to find her place there. All her life she was considered unimportant, not special, not worth noticing. Just one of the hundreds. When almost all Weasley men died in the War, Molly practically grounded Ginny in the Burrow. Yes, it was a motherly instinct to save her only child, but also an attempt not to remain alone.

Ginny loved her mother dearly, but she was twenty years old. She wanted to live, to see the world around her, even if it was being torn into pieces at that time. Ginny wanted to be a person of her own.

But today her wishes were neglected again. She was again only a thing which could be passed from one owner to another. She felt insulted, stripped of her honor and that's why she yelled at her guardian, who just wanted to… what? Get rid of her? But he did give her his Mark, showing his trust in her. Torture her mentally, knowing who Richard really is? Demonstrate his power over her fate? Ginny was again confused by the actions of strange Draco Malfoy.

Who at that very moment slammed the door open, making Ginny flinch. "I am sorry," she said right away, not wanting him to state his point, which will be certainly just to shut her up. "I didn't have the right to shout at you. I am just a prisoner and under your care. I must just follow your orders," she recited.

"Bullshit," Malfoy grunted. "You said it and you meant it. Yes, you didn't have any right but you did it anyway as you always do. Now go to sleep. You still must make the decision and time for thinking is wearing off."

"But Richard doesn't want me to live with him! He backed off!" Ginny exclaimed, confused why he was dwelling on the choice making. Especially if he perfectly heard her and Richard's conversation in the Dining Hall.

"And if he didn't?"

"And what is it to you?" Ginny asked, eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Probably just damn man's ego."

"I don't know. It is really hard to choose. Pros and cons are equal for both of you," she said in a discussing tone.

"Oh, really… Strange, we are so different."

"Well, not in my eyes. Anyway, I am going to bed."

"Finally, you are acting rationally," he mocked with a smirk. Ginny glared in return.

Then out of thin air a parchment roll fell down onto Malfoy's bed. He frowned, but opened it. Ginny witnessed a lot of things in her life, but she had never seen somebody pale so quickly. As if in a single moment all life was drained out of Malfoy's face. He tossed it into her hands. She began to scan the contents.

_Fairy Ladies and Gentlemen,_

_I am happy to announce that our Lord has finally obtained his human form and will greet you all tomorrow at 12 o'clock in the Main Hall._

_Due to his transformation the Dark Lord will honor you, pureblooded witches of the castle, with the baring of his child, the heir of the Dark Lord's Empire. The Dark Lord orders all women mentioned below to attend tomorrow's meeting. The ones who will not obey will be severely punished._

'_He just had to write the last sentence, didn't he?_' "So?"

"Look at the list, dammit."

Ginny looked. She found a lot of familiar people there; girls she knew from her school years, slytherins and others alike. Shock paralyzed her when she reached the end though. 'Ginevra Weasley.' Black on yellow. As clear as day. She sat there, staring at the small piece of parchment that held for her the worst Fate imaginable in this world.

"Kill me", she said softly. When no reaction came she dashed forward and fell down onto her knees in front of Malfoy. "Please, kill me… Kill me, Draco. Please…" Ginny begged, hugging his knees.

Malfoy was rooted to the spot be her pleas. He knew it would come. Sooner or later. It could be the only reason why she had been dragged here. He suspected it from the very beginning, but why now it was so hard to except?

'_She called me Draco…Must be from shock…_' "I can't and you know it," he uttered at last.

"Why? Why me?" she sobbed. But then her eyes shined with sudden determination. "I'll do it myself." She took the dagger from her waistband, the same dagger Malfoy gave her. It wasn't asked back so Ginny kept it. And finally she has found the perfect task for it. She placed the dagger in front of her heart and pulled it forward. Malfoy just watched expressionlessly.

The dagger cut her shirt and slid down without leaving a scratch. "How?" Ginny murmured, gazing at her unharmed chest.

"You are impetratable till you fulfill your purpose," Malfoy stated.

"But I caaaan't!" she weaned, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Why? You were kept alive to do it. You were taken here to do it. You were given to me to do it."

"And where is your man's ego now, Draco?"

"This is not the problem of man's ego, Weasley. You don't have a choice but to go there tomorrow and do whatever will be ordered," Malfoy stated coldly. Too coldly for Ginny's liking.

"So I am not your concern anymore. You will finally get rid of me?" she whispered, still sitting on the floor and feeling absolutely hopeless.

"Hardly. You will probably stay here at least for another year. Child and everything."

Ginny cringed at the mentioning of the child. Only the thought of being in one room with Voldemort, sleeping with him repeatedly, having sex with him… It horrified her to the bone. He will touch her only through her dead body. Unfortunately, that option wasn't available any more.

'_Isn't there a way to escape this nightmare? Probably not. Or I could've escaped days ago._' She started to get upfrom her fatal position and surprisingly was helped. "I will be there. I understand I have no say in the matter."

'_That's it? No fighting? There are really important things at stake. Important for her at least. It must be the right choice. It is my purpose. Then why am I doing what I am doing? My actions are as far from my purpose as possible._

_Strange situation. Strange feelings. Too strange for my liking._'

The Main Hall was full to the point of a crowd. Ginny counted at least forty women. The majority of them were sobbing on the shoulders of the men accompanying them. Some looked lost and with a trace of torture on their featured. Only a few looked glad and proud to be there.

Ginny stood impassively, surrounded by dozens of black robes, stunned to move or to react. Everybody was shooting impatient glances at the throne looking armchair where Lord Voldemort usually sat. They all waited for their Lord to emerge in his new form. That didn't interest Ginny in the slightest. To her didn't matter in which form or body he would be; no matter how good the appearance is it can't change the rottenness of the soul.

The grand entering was made at last and dead silence settled over the gathering. On the throne set… Harry Potter. Harry Potter not older than 35 but without the famous scar and glasses.

Ginny's knees started to weaken; she felt she'd fall down any moment. "Stay put, Weasley. Whatever the cost, stand," she heard Malfoy's growl through clenched teeth.

The Dark Lord was giving a speech but Ginny didn't hear a word of it. '_Why me? Why the world is so cruel to me? The whole evilness concentrated in the body of the man I loved._'

In the same she left, leaning onto Malfoy's arm. When they moved further into the corridor, Ginny couldn't help it any longer. She fainted.

**A/N: So it started to get messy, didn't it? I bet nobody thought of that turn of events. Well, stay tuned, it will get even messier. And thanks for all your reviews, the last chapter had the largest number of them. But you can make another record, right?**


	11. The Plan

**Chapter Eleven: The Plan**

Ginny's eyes flattered open to see that she was laying on her bed and to a smell of something fowl. The aroma was coming from a small bottle that Malfoy kept showing under her nose.

"Yuck, what the Hell is this?" she groaned, turning away from the bottle.

"You have fainted. I don't usually get to deal with fainted women; the ones I deal with are strong enough not to get themselves in such a condition, not in front of me anyway. That's why I don't have any _comfortable _devise to bring you back to this holly world." His every world drowned in irritation and sarcasm.

"Well, sorry, if I am so weak to loose my mind when this scum, and don't even try to correct me, shows up in the body of Harry Potter, my friend, my boyfriend, my love!"

"So what's the fuss about?! If you loved Potter then it will be easier for you to be impregnated by him. You are a lot luckier than girls who hated Potter's guts!"

"Harry is bloody dead!!! That body is just a shell for the Dark Lord; it is all can be seen in his eyes. To me it is a defilement of Harry's body and the memory of his good deeds and not a way to lessen my suffering. The fact only worsens them."

"Then how did it happen that you'd never slept with Potter?"

Ginny blushed slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Now she asks me what I mean! If he was the love of your life as you put it, boyfriend etc. etc., then why are you still a virgin?"

Ginny blushed even more. "Well, Harry and I didn't have a normal relationship due to the War and other matters. He even dumped me in my fifth year, thinking it will be safer for me this way. But after a while he came back to me, because he needed somebody to be his companion, his friend. Hermione and Ron were growing closer and closer with every day, so I was his only option. So I stayed with him during all this mess, encouraged him, helped him with nightmares, well, you know."

"But you haven't answered my question."

"Okay, we _were_ there. We felt it was right to do it. We were on the bed, half naked already and then… I don't even remember exactly what happened. Either Tonks reported another attack or something equally important. Either way Harry told me we would do it next time. The next week he died," Ginny finished with a sob.

'_What can be more important then the first time with a person you love?_' Malfoy thought bemused. "Sometimes you gryffindors are too brave and noble for your own good."

"You can say so," she replied, staring down at her robes.

"For someone who is so disgusted with the whole ordeal you take your fate pretty solemnly."

"And what can I do to prevent it? Scream and fight so hard that he will kill me just to shut me up?"

"Well, it is a way. You know, gryffindors are very good Death Eaters…"

"Huh?"

"The majority of the gryffindors were strongly opposing the reign of the Dark Lord. Being converted into Death Eaters was their last resort to survive. And they do everything to survive and not to get too tainted in the process. Are you following me?"

"Of course not, Malfoy. Stop talking in riddles and actually say it. It sounds like you are proposing to me to use the Codex of Survival."

"Then you've solved the riddle yourself," he replied with a small smile.

"You mean to fight the Dark Lord? To oppose him?" she asked unbelieving.

"You've been doing it your whole life, it isn't new to you."

"To you as well."

"And with that you wanted to say…"

"You are not denying it either."

"So it is _my _business, isn't it?"

Ginny bit her lower lip. She knew he was right. She had to do at least something to weasel out of this. But could she do it alone? She certainly couldn't escape, because she was bound to the bedroom. Different variants went through her mind, but all seemed powerless to prevent her caring the child of Voldemort.

"Can you help me?" she asked giving him a helpless look which wasn't an act in the slightest.

"We need a plan, Ginny. Why such surprised look? Thought it will be done in a flip of a wand?"

"You called me Ginny," she uttered still quite astonished.

"Mortals are usually at the first name basis. It is safer. And it seems appropriate since we are going to be partners in crime," Malfoy finished with his trademark smirk.

"So you are going to help me?"

"I probably will."

"Why?"

Why? He asked it himself. Why did he want to save her from her purpose, from Voldemort or more specifically from Voldemort's bed? He didn't want her for himself, right?

"Hmmm, let's say that it'd become a problem of man's ego."

"Well, if you put it this way… It doesn't really matter to me as long as you keep your promise." Ginny didn't believe he hadn't any ulterior motive, but even if he had it couldn't be worse than what awaited her. Even death was a better outcome.

While she thought about Malfoy's motives, he started to walk back and forth with an expression of being deep in thought. After a few minutes he stopped. "You must be spoiled."

"What?"

"The Dark Lord treasures you virginity so it must be taken away. Then he may reject you as a potential mother of his heir. But how to do it?" He returned to pacing.

"Why can't _you_ do it?"

Malfoy stopped mid step. "Why should I?"

"Well, you are a man. And you are right here." There was no personal interest in her reply just pure rationality, at least Draco didn't hear otherwise.

"I don't even wish to attempt. I will be dead even before I take my pants off. Dead literally."

"So what do you propose?"

"I'll tell you about it after dinner."

"You do understand that we'd just spent two hours, sitting and talking about my problems instead of growing over the reports you are so fond of."

"If you are so anxious you can work over time today. During all night if you like. I, on the other hand, must think and sleep."

"But we haven't even opened the office today! The guys must've been standing the whole morning there!"

Draco shook his head. "You'll never change. The Mark can be also used as a key. So they should be working right now or else."

"You'll never change also. So we are even."

They ate in silence. Ginny noticed that Draco absentmindedly put food into his mouth, all his energy seemed to be destined on turning wheels in his head.

From time to time Ginny throw sideway glances at the main table where the Dark Lord sat, surrounded by numerous exotic dishes which never were on the menu of average Death Eaters. Yes, he looked exactly like matured Harry could have looked in his thirties, then why she resisted him so hard? It _could _make everything easier for her. Well, it must be better then an absolutely unfamiliar man. In the very beginning she thought the same about Draco. But, strangely, this time it didn't help. She knew he wasn't Harry, he was him only on the outside. Ginny couldn't make herself overstep the barrier out of her ethical principles; at least she thought that was the reason.

Yes, she said she would better die than share one bed with Voldemort. Still her survival instincts haven't died out yet. She was still young and anxious to have a live. Maybe she'll get out of it with Draco's help but what is the alternative? Obey or die. If she doesn't become Voldemort's whore and stay alive what will she do? Ginny didn't even want think about it.

Draco and Ginny, to her utter surprise, returned to their bedroom after dinner.

"Won't we visit the office at all today?" Ginny voice her bewilderment.

"Want to see Richard so much?" Draco sneered back.

"No, I am just used to be there all the time."

"The work will be done. Nothing important is happening now anyway. Sit down. I've thought about the possible solution to your problem." Ginny got comfortable in her armchair. "It is drastic and complicated to bring to life, but I don't have any other ideas."

"What is it?" Ginny whispered, taken aback by the seriousness of his tone.

"You must be raped."

Ginny involuntarily shivered at the word. "Why exactly raped?" She tried to sound neutral and collected, but shaking hands were a dead give away to her scared state.

"Because this way your virginity will be taken and not given. You can't be blamed for that."

"So why is it complicated then? I'll just walk in the dark corridor alone and be attacked like the last time."

"You must've heard nothing of what the Dark Lord had said in the Main Hall, didn't you?"

"Actually no, I didn't."

"Well, briefly he announced a no-sex period, beginning from yesterday. No man can shag or even touch any woman mentioned in that damn list. It especially concerns their fiancées."

"And what the Hell was the last comment about?! He forbids women to sleep with their own men?!"

"So the fatherhood of the child wouldn't be questioned. I am certain it will be checked anyway. And I don't even won't to guess what will happen to that couple and their child."

"They will be killed?"

"Or worse."

"What can be worse?"

"I don't know how far he will go with this project. Maybe he will kill the baby right away."

"You men all this mess is that goddamn breeding project?!"

"It actually is."

"Merlin, why did I leave the house that damn day?"

"I bet, you'd have been brought here either way. You are a pureblooded witch. So it was just a matter of time."

"You know, maybe I'll just kill him in his own bed!" Ginny hissed with devilish sparks in her eyes. "Every woman will be grateful. I'll stab the dagger right into his rotten heart." She clenched her fists vividly imagining the scene.

Draco spoiled everything by saying, "It will be really hard to hide a dagger when you are naked."

That snapped Ginny from her maniac smiling state. "Damn. I haven't thought of that. But there must be a way! Poison him or something."

"Your methods are even more drastic than mine, Ginny. But if you are sure it will get you off the hook, then…"

"You won't even object to my planning the assassination of your Lord?"

"Well, the whole idea is quite original and unexpected. There are only two major flows in it: firstly, you'll be killed the moment you are discovered – right in the room in any other part of the castle, because you don't know how to leave it; and secondly, you don't even imagine what chaos will ensure after such sudden death. The struggle for the leadership will begin in an instant and can continue for generations. But the idea itself is quite interesting, can be used in an appropriate time."

"I can't believe you," Ginny uttered shocked by his words. "How can you discuss so calmly the murder of the Lord you serve? I understand you are not a fanatic or something, but are you even a bit loyal?"

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny, how pure you still are. I can bet my life on the fact that at least half of this castle has the same believes as I am. The generation of loyal followers is dead long ago. Everybody now think only about their own interests. Hundreds of people here and outside want to kill Voldemort, with bare hands if necessary, but they can't, because the only person who could do it is dead. And there is just no way out of this.

I can almost picture Pansy, ripping bed sheets to shreds, crying and cursing her pureblooded inheritance; and Blaise, sitting on the sofa tightly holding the armrests not able to hug and console his wife. Dozens of couples sit in their bedrooms and think of ways to torture their Lord, but they can't do anything. Because they are just his slaves who must obey."

"Then we are more fortunate, aren't we?" Ginny asked softly with a weak smile.

"Maybe we are. But your problem is still unsolved."

"What was your plan then?"

"You are willing to try?"

"Well, we haven't discussed the details yet. We can work something out."

Draco inhaled deeply. He was sure she wouldn't like any of it. "The main idea is that we stage your raping."

"And who will agree to do it?"

"That is totally your part of the plan. It can't be done here for sure. It must be someone without the Dark Mark. Do you have any possible candidate? Former boyfriends, friends… anybody, whom you can trust not to run and tell about your whereabouts on the first corner. This is the most important thing – total secrecy. If anybody finds out, we are both worse than dead. So you know somebody with such characteristics?"

"I, well, don't know. Neville would've done it, but he is dead. Colin – also. Who else? Brian Finchley! He was in my year in Gryffindor. We were close friends. He had a crush on me. Maybe he will agree."

"Manipulative evil witch," Draco muttered with a smirk. Then continued with a normal volume, "You must write him a letter asking him about his agreement. Everything else is up to me."

"What did you mean by 'not here'?"

"Here you are under control of the Dark Mark and the act can be prevented by the Dark Lord himself. And no one without the Dark Mark can penetrate here. So you will accompany me to my weekend trip to Italy. I know just the place."

"And why will I go there?"

"Good question. I don't know yet. I need to think."

"You seem to think a lot lately. Found your brain at last?"

"There is no time to joke around!"

"Sorry, Draco, I just wanted to lighten up the mood a bit."

"It is impossible to lighten the night."

"But the Moon and the stars do it."

**A/N: Yeh, a small chapter, but quite informative I think. So what do you think about all this? It will turn even more extreme in the next chapters. All ideas and reviews are welcome as always.**


	12. A Trip to the Outside World

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to _whyevenbother _who continuously nudged me about updating. Sets a good example, don't you think?**

**It is kinda a light chapter before the dark part of the fic.**

**Chapter Twelve: A Trip to the Outside World**

_Dear Brian,_

_I understand that my letter is totally unexpected, but so happens that I need your help in a very delicate matter. Before I write any further you must swear with your blood that not a word about this or about me being alive will reach anybody and especially my relatives._

_I am glad you decided to hear me out. Right now I won't describe you what exactly you need to do to help me. It is safer this way. If you agree, then meet me on the 23rd of June in Miriada hotel, Rome, Italy. You must book room number 205. Only this room will suit us. Arrive at the hotel not later than 6 p.m. and wait for me. Don't go anywhere._

_It may sound silly, but it is vitally important, not only to me but to the future of the wizarding world as well._

_Sent you answer with the pigeon which delivers my letter._

_Yours, Ginny Weasley_

"What pigeon?" Ginny asked, writing the last words of the letter under Draco's dictation."Which delivers the letter, you have written so yourself just now."

"But letters are delivered by _owls_," she protested.

"Not always. Follow me."

Draco and Ginny left their room and began to walk through the dark corridors. It was past ten already and the castle was silent and seemed to be empty. But the feeling was deceptive. Hundreds of people were accommodating in numerous rooms: sleeping or eating or working or plotting… They stopped in front of a small iron door.

"Don't make any harsh movements," Draco warned. He slowly opened the door and a wave of shrieking sounds covered Ginny. Hundreds of pigeons of all possible colors were sitting on the small nests. "Welcome to the pigeon loft," he whispered.

Ginny was awestruck. She remembered the Owlry of Hogwarts. There were no two similar owls there, but in here it was like a boost of colors. The place was so different from the whole gloomy castle – it was alive.

Draco made a strange melodic sound with a silver whistle. Three black pigeons circled down from somewhere above. He took the rolled parchment form Ginny's hand and secured it on the leg of the closest pigeon. "Take it to Brian Finshley." The pigeon nodded and was off, other two were still waiting. "You are free. No more letters today."

Draco practically dragged Ginny out. "They are so beautiful," she drawled with the picture of three black pigeons with silver feathers on the wings still before her eyes.

"You can say so."

"Are they yours?"

"I have ten of them. Courtesy to Blaise."

"Why do you need them? There are like dozens of owls you can use."

"They are for… my personal correspondence."

"And how is Blaise involved?"

"He is the Head of the Transport Department."

"But I thought it is just Apparition, Portkeys and such stuff."

"He controls everything that moves, has a destination from one point to another, post included."

"My, this is some serious stuff."

"Of course. Blaise is a serious man."

"Yes, he is."

"What is this supposed to mean?"

"Well, he cares so much about Pansy, about his future family. Wants them to be happy."

Draco didn't answer to that.

The work in the office continued. There were less and less reports with each day. Ginny noticed that each guy in addition to English letters also worked through reports in other languages, so it made the whole process go even faster.

Draco looked more and more thoughtful. He was moving all the time, contacting some mysterious people from outside or sending letters both with owls and pigeons. The map received new marks every day. Ginny came to conclusion that some big machine had been finally set in motion.

A week later came a notification from the Dark Lord that her turn would be in two months that completely suited their plans. Ginny knew that Pansy was put much earlier on the schedule, so she could at least ask what awaits her in the private chambers of Lord Voldemort. Of course, it was selfish of Ginny, but everyone wanted to survive.

The time went with nothing extraordinary happening in Ginny's life, except the only worth mentioning fact was that Brian agreed to participate in the scheme. Another positive occasion happened when Draco appeared in the office grinning from ear to ear. He usually did it only when he succeeded in something _very_ important.

"You have a ticket to Italy."

"Thanks Merlin. So what is the glorious reason?"

"We are going to shop for your wardrobe."

"What?!"

"Orders from the Dark Lord himself."

"What the Hell?"

"Ask the Hell yourself. I am glad that I didn't need to think something myself. Lord's orders are the most unshakable thing in this castle. It is probably stronger than the walls themselves. Now nothing can stop us."

"You are talking like you have personal interest in the whole ordeal."

The smile instantly slipped down from Draco's face. "We are leaving in four weeks. Be ready." With that the conversation was over.

Of course, Ginny was glad that the way to get her out of the castle had been found, but the whole Draco's attitude was quite fishy. She was sure he wasn't telling her something. Something important.

Days went by bringing less work for her, more stress for Draco and new rumors about what was happening behind the doors of the Dark Lord's bedroom. It seemed that the all mighty Dark Lord turned into a sexual maniac. He took to his bedroom three women a day and they had to be there whenever he summoned them. He clearly understood that the women were with him unwillingly, what in his opinion was just a bonus. He toyed with them, making their stay as long as possible. Imperioused or raped the most vicious ones. The choice depended on the mood. Even if the women wanted to cooperate to just get that over with, he did everything to made them suffer but fulfill his wishes.

Ginny felt sick from the mere thought of entering that sinful bedroom. One day they received somehow good news that Pansy was pregnant. The good part in it was that she didn't need to go through that nightmare again after another three months.

Anyhow four weeks passed and Ginny was being lead through the castle with a blindfold not to see the exit or the place of the apparitional point to be precise. One stop and a jerk later she found herself in a sunny and spacious hotel room with windows, facing the sea. Ginny was overwhelmed by the sight. She spent almost half of the year indoors not seeing Sun and without breathing fresh air. Such small things, which she thought were unimportant and possible to live without, suddenly became vital.

Ginny went to the French doors and stepped onto the balcony. Beneath her she saw a narrow street full of children, running and skipping happily. Three store buildings of different colors made a vivid picture of peace and wealth. Four blocks from them was seen a large square surrounded by small shops of all different kind. Her expression was a mixture of joy, surprise and shock, "There is no war here," she remarked to Draco, who was fussing over a trunk.

"And this is the main problem, isn't it?"

"How can this be a problem?"

"It is, if you want to conquer the world. Anyway, today you are going shopping and I am doing what I am supposed to do."

"You mean alone?!"

"Of course not. Andromeda will accompany you. She will be here in four minutes."

"Why don't you warn me about your plans beforehand?"

"Because it won't be any use to you."

"Because you wouldn't change anything even if I asked, you wanted to say."

"Maybe. Because you don't see the big picture. And I absolutely can't see anything that will cause you any discomfort in shopping with another woman."

"But I don't know her!"

"But _I_ know her and I _trust_ her."

Their argument was interrupted by a firm knocking at the door. After a welcoming "Come in!" from Draco, the door opened to reveal a smiling plump Italian woman. She entered the room as she owned it and moved straight to Draco.

"Oh, ciao, dear!" The greeting was followed by a hug and a mutual three times kissing on the cheeks. Ginny just stared.

"Andromeda, this is Ginny. Ginny, this is Andromeda who will escort you today."

"Hello, Ginny. You are a real beauty. Draco said we were going to buy you new clothes; this is so exiting!" Draco whispered something into Andromeda's ear. Ginny assumed it was in Italian. Andromeda nodded a few times, but then her black eyes widened. "Realmente?" (Really?) Another Italian phrase from Draco and she just shrugged in defeat.

The exchange made Ginny feel slightly uneasy. She didn't know why she felt nervous in the first place. The woman looked completely trustworthy, she even resembled Ginny's mother in some way. But still Ginny felt out of her plate, maybe tomorrow events started to take their toll on her. Deep in thought, Ginny didn't notice how Andromeda and she had got to a women's restroom.

"Now, Ginny, don't be afraid of me. I am an old friend of Draco's and won't hurt you."

"How did you know I was afraid in the first place?"

"Let's say that I have a special talent," Andromeda replied with a reassuring smile. "Now give me your right hand." Ginny obeyed. Andromeda revealed Ginny's Mortal mark then did the same with hers and pressed her Mark to Ginny's. "From now on everything we say or do to each other will be saved by the Mark. Nobody but Draco will know about it. You didn't know about this useful feature of your 'scar', did you?" Ginny shook her hand. "Well, now you do. Let's go, we must finish till five o'clock."

"And what will happen at five?"

"We are meeting Draco for dinner and then he'll fly away again."

"Fly away?" Ginny asked with a chuckle.

"Well, he tends to apparate from one place to another every twenty-thirty minutes. How else can you characterize it? But enough about Draco, he is a boring businessman. Let's talk about you. Are you a new Draco's manager?"

"Well, I…" Ginny didn't know how much she could reveal. She was so used to hide all information after Draco's constant lecturing, but Andromeda's eye seemed to draw everything out of her. "He is my guardian."

"Guardian? What does it mean?"

"Well, I am a prisoner of the Dark Lord and Draco watches me so I wouldn't ran away. We live together and I help him at his office."

"This explains a lot."

"What, for example?"

"The fact that you can't go shopping alone," Andromeda said, with a smile that dismissed all other questions. Ginny understood that there was _a lot_ more that could be explained but she won't be told any of it.

They walked on the streets of wizarding Rome and Ginny admired the beauty and simplicity of the constructions. It was a drastic change, comparing to dark and half destroyed London.

"Here we are, Ginny," Andromeda announced, leading Ginny to a big fashion store. "I have very precise requirements, so, unfortunately, your choice isn't very important."

"Don't worry, I am used to it," Ginny responded with a sigh.

"No long faces today, Ginny! Let's make you even more beautiful!" she exclaimed enthusiastically and pushed Ginny into the changing booth.

Four hours, five robes, three dress robes and numerous skirts, blouses and shoes packed later they left the shop. Although the clothes were very formal and mostly in slytherin colors Ginny felt very fuzzy inside. During a simple process of buying clothes she felt like a woman, she felt real, she felt free.

They entered another shop and Ginny stopped on her tracks. "Are you sure, we are in the right place?" she asked, glancing around on the shelves upon shelves full of underwear of all colors and designs.

"Yes, I am. Orders of your Lord. Draco wasn't happy about it either."

"What did you say?"

"I said, it had been the orders of your Lord - "

"Why do you call him so?"

"Because he is your Lord, not mine."

"You mean you are not - " Ginny throw a glance onto Andromeda's arms, only now noticing her spotless forearms which were on a plain view due to a short sleeved blouse.

"No, I am not a Death Eater," she stated.

"But Draco and you work…and…Man, I don't understand anything anymore."

"You don't need to. Sometimes, even I don't understand what is going in Draco's head. He is doing so much for others and nothing for himself. He will die and nobody will notice." A shadow of sorrow passed on Andromeda's face, but the friendly expression instantly returned back. "But now we must finish our shopping list. What color of underwear you prefer?"

Ginny reddened. "Well, I'll just choose myself." After half an hour Ginny was finally ready to go, but Andromeda stopped her.

"We must buy some sexy underwear also."

"What the bloody Hell for?!" Ginny cried not caring that there were other people in the shop.

"Well, for obvious reasons, I suppose."

"But I will _not_ sleep with that scum, human or not!"

"Calm down, Ginny. We don't need to attract attention. And there is more than one man in the world, so it can be very useful." Ginny only grunted. "Ok, I am not a specialist, but Draco suggested a mixtures of black, red, brown and pastel tones. Let's see what they have here."

Ginny's cheeks flushed but now from pure rage. "How dare he?!"

"You mean Draco's suggestion? Don't worry, he has an impeccable taste. He even gave underwear advice to Claudia."

"And who the Hell is Claudia?"

Andromeda didn't miss a spike of jealousy in Ginny's voice. "Claudia is my eldest daughter. She turned to Draco for the advice for her wedding night. From what I know, the results were astounding."

"This is just ridiculous."

All purchases were sent to the hotel room and with free hands Ginny and Andromeda reached a small restaurant where they saw Draco, already waiting for them.

"Ciao, Draco. We bought everything you requested."

"Well done. Sit down, please. The dinner will arrive soon."

"Oh, you've ordered already! How kind of you."

"Oh, really," Ginny grunted, feeling again like a doll which was tossed from one place to another by her owner.

Meanwhile Draco and Andromeda were chatting in Italian. At one point of the conversation Draco laughed out loud and Ginny was startled by the alien sound.

"What is so funny?" she asked.

"Your reaction at my advice on the underwear," Draco answered still chuckling.

"I don't know about you, but for me it seems quite strange that a man who has _absolutely no_ time to have a woman in his life, gives advice to a woman about what underwear will suit her better to have sex in," Ginny confronted him.

"Well, the girl was so inexperienced, but wanted to surprise her future husband, making their wedding night memorable and all. I happened to be in town and she asked for my help as an only man she knew beside her fiancée. It took only twenty minutes of my time during dinner so all interests were satisfied."

"You speak about underwear during dinner? You are a twisted pervert, that's who you are," Ginny commented with disgust.

Andromeda shook her head. "Can we return to business after the underwear topic was closed?"

"Yes, of course," Draco responded in a business-like-tone.

During the following hour Ginny relaxed on a comfy sofa, enjoying delicious dishes of Italian cuisine. She became completely invisible for the pair sitting nearby, because they had an animated discussion in Italian which was accompanied by Andromeda's feverish notes' taking. At the same time they somehow managed to eat.

"Finally," Andromeda exhaled with relief. "I though, you will never end."

"You know yourself the most active phase has began, so it will bring more work for you. Hopefully, it will turn right in the end."

She sighed. "Hopefully. Okay, good bye, Draco. Good bye, Ginny. Maybe we will see each other again. You know, I have a bunch of sons who will be very pleased to meet you."

"And you call yourself a decent mother. Your eldest is merely seventeen! Shame on you!" Draco reproached with eyes, sparkling with amusement.

"And they all want to see their uncle Draco."

"You see my hands are full. I will try to do it next time."

"Rodgie's birthday is next month. You must attend."

"I'll try."

"You'd better." And Andromeda left leaving a strange eerie of strength and care behind her.

"Uncle Draco?" Ginny squeaked, trying to contain laughter and failing miserably.

"They call me that. It is easier for me and for them."

"And who is Rogie?"

"And why so curious?"

"It doesn't fit you at all. So unexpected. It is absolutely normal for me to be interested in this mystery."

"The Mark is still working, so it won't hurt to tell you. Rogie is the youngest. He is three years old. He also happens to be my godson."

"You godson?" Now this was quite an astonishing fact for Ginny. "How come?"

"Well, Andromeda isn't young already and had problems with the delivery. I happened to know the needed potion for everything turning out fine. End of story."

"You happen to be in the strangest places in the strangest time."

"This is who I am."


	13. A Chain of the Unfortunate Events

**Chapter Thirteen: A Chain of Unfortunate Events**

Ginny couldn't fall asleep. She kept tossing and turning, taking her glance from a dark wall to the balcony window and bright Moon, seen through it. In less than twenty hours she will be raped. Not exactly raped, but her virginity will be taken. What for? For the Cause? Oh, no. Right then she didn't give a damn about the Cause, the Order or the War in general. She was saving her lousy arse from sleeping with the prick that considered himself a sex god just because he had got a normal human body. Even it was the body of Harry Potter; be it the body of Apollo himself, Ginny wouldn't submit to bear his heir. That disgusting, evil, hateful, heartless bastard!

Ginny turned her head again, focusing her gaze on the Moon this time. She was lying on the foster bed in the hotel room, but without really appreciating how soft and spacious it was, comparing it to her usual sleeping place. Draco told her he wouldn't be sleeping at all that night, maybe just a few hours, so it wasn't any point for Ginny to waste the opportunity. It was wasted anyway, because Ginny's mind was full of second thoughts about the whole plan, about the cost she was willing to pay, the pain she was going to suffer and where the Hell was Draco when it was already six in the morning?

The answer to her last question was brought by a squeak of a door and a tall shadow creeping in. Draco instantly discarded his shirt, because it was impossible hot in the room. Not only it was June, but also because all the windows remained closed for the whole day. Leaving the shirt on the floor, he began to rummage through the trunk.

"Bloody Hell, where is it?" Draco muttered. Then his finger surrounded a bottle. "At last. One sip and rest at last." But the bottle happened to be empty. '_Empty? How can it be empty? It is the first thing I do before every trip! Of course, you fool, you were so preoccupied with Ginny's problem that you forgot to refill you sleeping potion! What a moron! Why is this happening to me all the time? Okay, I'll try to get to sleep naturally then._'

Draco put light shirt that covered his whole upper body, not wanting any painful accidents to happen. Even if he was tired to death, he stopped at the edge of the bed to admire the sight of sleeping Ginny. As we know, she wasn't asleep, but simply pretending, still her relaxed posture didn't betray her. She was wearing a long cotton white nightgown which covered her to her knees. There was no point to use bed sheets, because the room resembled a sauna. That's why Draco got a wonderful view of Ginny's feminine beauty. The nightgown wasn't transparent per se and left a lot to imagination and Draco had a vivid one.

'_Malfoy, stop it right now! You re letting her be raped. Well, it is for her own good… Splendid, just splendid, only in this twisted world raping can have a bright side. At least, the bastard has taste._'

Draco lay down onto the bed as far from Ginny as possible. But insomnia decided to accompany both occupants of the bed that night. Half an hour passed and Draco still wasn't in the Dreamland. With every minute he got more and more frustrated and was about to hit the pillow, but stopped mid swing. He was trying to get rid of the nasty habit and didn't want to wake Ginny up. He wished, he could sleep so peacefully.

He released a long sigh. '_This is going to be a long night._'

"Draco? Are you asleep?" Ginny asked the back of his head.

"Not so fortunate tonight," he grunted in return.

"Why didn't you drink the potion?"

"I forgot it?"

"Forgot? How it is possible? You never forget anything."

"Well, it happened," Draco snapped. He didn't want to be reminded of his lousiness again.

"Is it a problem?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what are you going to do now?"

"I'll just lie down for three-four hours and then go on with my business."

"You won't sleep?!"

"Seems so."

"Draco, you are one leg in your grave with this attitude! I'll knock you out for this. At least you can sleep this way."

"Knocking me out is out of question! Who do you think you are?!"

"I am the one who wants you to get rest, so you won't drop dead from exhaustion."

"And when did you become violent?"

Ginny noticed that the tension left his voice. "When I started to live with you. A girl needs to protect herself, you know."

"Maybe you can tell me another story."

"Huh?"

"A story about Andrew and Millicent."

'_He remembered the names?_' "Well, why not? Where did I stop the last time?"

"They got married."

"You listened?!"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I usually listen when somebody is telling me something."

"Don't get all defensive. I just didn't expect you to listen till the end. I thought you had gone asleep somewhere in the middle."

"I did. But let's say that I kinda managed to hear it all. And now I suggest going on with it, because I don't have all night."

"Okay. So Andrew and Millicent lived in their small house on the outskirts of Devon. Three years into their marriage the happiest event occurred. Millicent gave birth to a boy, who was named … Will. Yes, Will. He was their firstborn so there were the usual problems with the care for the baby, but both were still very proud of their beautiful son.

Will showed the signs of magic very early. He could feel the presence of Dark Magic, especially on different objects. Firstly, such ability in a young boy frightened his parents, because Will eagerly explored his talent, trying to get a hold of every suspicious object possible. And being around the Dark Magic all the time can't do anything good, especially for a seven-year-old.

Fortunately, Will received his Hogwarts invitation letter and his passion was forgotten for the time being. He was a very bright student and good communicator. He managed to have a lot of good friends and good marks at the same time.

But Will wasn't in his discoveries of life. He had a brother, Chester, who was a year younger than him. Chester was a very animated boy. From the early childhood there was a noticeable spark of wildness in him.

When he was fourteen, Chester visited Scotland Mountains with one of the relatives form Andrew's side. They had a climbing trip in the mountains. Chester, the young hothead, wandered off and got lost. He tried to return without the use of magic, all by himself; and that ended with him being stuck in a large deep canyon.

The major problem was that he wasn't alone there. Firstly, he felt strong gust of wind, then an echo of heavy footsteps and at the very end hot, smoky breath on his back. Chester slowly turned around and instantly fell in love with the beauty in front of him. He was rooted to the spot by the sight of a huge black horny dragon which yellow eyes were measuring him. For dinner, probably, but Chester could care less. He had a feeling of utter completion, as if he had finally found the meaning of his whole life.

Chester and the dragon continued to share a mute conversation, but it was obvious there was one. They stared at each other for the whole ten minutes and then the mighty creatures left, releasing a stream of fire. It gave Chester a very serious burn, but he only smiled, not feeling any pain. When the boy rejoined his companions he declared that he would spend his life on researching dragons. They gave them amused looks and shrugged it off s a childish cupris, but little did they know…"

Ginny noticed that Draco's breathing had steadied, showing he was asleep. On her turn, Ginny closed her eyes and was asleep in two blinks. Subconsciously, she thought that it was much easier to fall asleep when she knew Draco was save and in the same room with her.

The next morning Ginny woke up alone. On the pillow near her she found a small note which said, 'Be ready by six o'clock when I return.' That's it, nothing more. According to the Sun she had about seven hours to prepare to execute their crazy plan. '_Oh, Merlin, help us._'

Exactly at six o'clock Draco entered the hotel room, meeting Ginny who neatly sat on a chair, hands on her knees. She was a picture of calmness and solitude, at least on the outside.

"So you are ready, I presume?" he asked, walking around her to stop in front of the doors to the balcony. Having an eye contact with her right now was impossible for him. He still couldn't understand how such act o cruelty came to his mind. Well, it was a way out, but…

"Yes, I am. I hope, you will give me the details now, because I still know nothing about your ingenious plan," Ginny responded in a steady voice.

"The first phase is simple: the moment I leave the room you grab the bed sheets and tie them together to make a ladder to go down to the second floor – right onto the balcony which is under ours. Your friend is already waiting for you there -"

"How do you know?"

"I've checked the hotel registry book. Anyway… You enlighten him about his part in the plan. And exactly in an hour an a half I must find you broken and in hysterics on the stairs landing in front of the Finshley room. I'll ask you what you are doing there and you say you don't know, you don't remember. After that you go to our room and wait while I am taking care of your friend. Any questions?"

"How will I get onto our balcony?"

"I'll 'accidentally' forget to put a locking charm on it."

"You'll be surely punished for that."

"And you'll be punished for trying to escape. But I hope it will be of minor importance at that moment. And now a very important thing, Ginny." Draco finally faced her. "The whole point of it is for you to be a victim. You must fight for dear life: scream, kick, scratch his eyes out, do whatever possible to protect yourself. On the other hand, you must look as you were raped – messy hair, traces of slaps, torn clothes, well, you'll work something out," he finished with a sigh.

"You sound like an expert."

"Let's say that I had a misfortune to witness it."

"Why didn't you stop it?"

"I should join in not stop it, but I do neither. The potion is on the nightstand. Remember the time, you can't appear earlier, somebody else can see you." On the very doorstep Draco turned one last time. "Good luck."

Being left alone, Ginny took a deep breath and pulled the sheet towards her. In fifteen minutes she was standing in the neighbor balcony and knocking on the French doors. Ginny was met by a handsome young man with chestnut hair and brown laughing eyes which were full of surprise at the moment. He was certain she would come in a more civilized manner; through the door, for example.

"Hello, Brian."

"Hey, Ginny. I thought I'd never see you again!" he greeted her with enthusiasm.

"Why so?" Ginny asked in a slightly indifferent tone, sitting down on the available chair.

"Well, everybody think you are dead, were killed to be more exact."

"Unfortunately, I wasn't, so it brings is to the current situation."

"But what happened to you? You mom is sick with worry, she cries days straight for the loss of her only child!"

"Se has the right. It just happened sooner than planned," Ginny said with the same indifference, but pain was obvious in her glance. She surely missed her mother and the thought that she made her suffer disgusted Ginny. But what could she do about it? Nothing, absolutely nothing. "I can't tell you what happened to me, Brian. It doesn't matter right now anyway."

"What does then? Why am _I_ here?"

From all possible answers, Ginny has chosen the plain one. "You are here to rape me," she stated.

"What?!!"

"To take my virginity to be precise."

"But this is crazy, Ginny!"

"Believe me, there re a lot of things that are much crazier. And I won't take 'no' as an answer."

"But I _can't_!"

"Yes, you _can_, Brian. I've chosen you because in addition to needed parameters, you were a gryffindor. You have guts! It's no big deal! We will be only pretending!"

"Pretending?" Now he looked really perplexed.

"Listen, Brian, I am sorry. I was very confusing from the beginning. I should've just told you exactly what to do and do it. But I am in a bit of disorder right now."

"Why do you need it in the first place?"

"It is a very long story and we don't have time. Let's say it may save me from something worse than death."

"And there is no other way?"

"No."

"Can't you just flee?"

"Huh?"

"Run away. I don't see any special guard with you right now."

"Run?" Ginny whispered. The thought have never even crossed her mind.

"Yes, run, Ginny. I'll take you to a save place. Nobody will find you there!" he exclaimed with returned enthusiasm.

The idea was really tempting, but during her stay with Draco she learned to always to think rational. So Ginny weighted her options. Pros: she will be free; she won't be bearing Voldemort's heir and sleeping with him; she won't ever return to that rotten castle thus won't be a prisoner. Cons: she is a Death Eater – she will an outcast on the Light Side and nobody will trust her; Voldemort can find her using the Dark Mark or send a searching pursuit and they find her it won't be picnic; when Draco returns and doesn't find her, he will be _very_ angry and he can find her through _his_ Mark; if Draco comes back without her he will surely be killed.

The last disadvantage was deciding. Ginny didn't want Draco to be punished, tortured or be disposed of. He organized all this to help her, save her. So she won't be unthankful and selfish.

"As good as the proposal is, Brian, but I decline. There will be a lot of useless complications and I simply can't betray my friend."

"Your friend?" he asked utterly astonished.

"Did you think I appeared here on my own? I had help and now I need help from you."

"You are in deep mess if you need this, aren't you?"

"You can't even imagine, Brian. Now let's get this over with." Ginny tossed him a small flask. "Take this Polyjoice potion."

"What for?"

"For you own protection. When we finish, Obliviate me, but the spell must be weak; at the same time it must hit me,"

While he was drinking the potion, Ginny took the hem of her skirt and rip it to the waist. "We'll work something else on the way."

Draco could hear her sobs from the first floor already. From each step up more of her slumbered figure was seen. She was sitting on the floor knees drawn close to her chest and crying like there was no tomorrow.

"What the Hell are you doing here, wench?" he asked harshly.

"I don't know… I don't remember," Ginny answered between hiccups.

Draco took her right hand, opened his Mark and pressed his right wrist to hers. Ginny managed to notice that his 'M' was a lot larger. "Now get to the room and don't do anything to yourself." And he disappeared behind Brian's door.

Ginny groggily stood up, she was sore all over. She began to climb the stairs on at a time, wishing for all of it to be over already. Ginny finally got to the door to their room and a thought struck her, '_The door must be locked by magic! I can't get in until Draco comes! But then he said to go to the room…_' Ginny put her hand on the doorknob and tried to move it and it turned! '_He didn't lock the door! How far does his trust go?_' She was a bit overwhelmed by his sudden trust in her. One moment he doesn't say a word to her and the other leaves her alone with an unlocked door.

Her wait was surprisingly long, at least half an hour. To Ginny Draco looked quite tired from what she couldn't fathom.

He neared her cautiously, not knowing exactly how to act around her. He knew what he must do and how, but… Man, Draco was awful with women. '_A straight approach should be the best._' "Look into my eyes," Draco ordered softly. But the moment she obeyed, he wished she hadn't. His gaze met puffy red eyes and tears stricken cheeks – a picture of pure devastation.

"Close your eyes and relax, make your mind completely blank, don't think about anything." Draco touched her temples with his index and middle fingers and pushed slightly. A blood freezing scream shook Draco from head to toe, making him fall on one knee, but he didn't take his fingers away. '_I hate this War._'

Ginny felt strange. Darkness surrounded her, but it wasn't an average endless darkness, it was moving. Moving around her and Ginny could do was watch.

The face of Brian emerged, but instantly vanished. Ginny registered that she still remembered their conversation but very blurry. Then the view of sleeping Ginny appeared and her figure was moved to the floor. That memory was surely modified, but she still could remember the softness of the bed and Draco's body distant warmth. Another face appeared. That one Ginny didn't want to see anymore in her life. Even it was a Polyjoiced face and chance she'll see him again were equal to zero, Ginny didn't want it here. As if hearing her, the face vanished without a trace.

Draco was going through Ginny's mind, changing her recent memories so they could be viewable for the Dark Lord. Some he deleted completely, some – put into a special place of her mind which was secured by the Mark of the Mortal. The freshest memories were left for the very end. Draco cautiously entered the specific part of the mind. Yes, he told her to fight and he saw women fight for their honor, but Ginny was nothing like he saw before. She fought like a tigress, pushing, pulling, and hitting everything in the reach to free herself. Draco couldn't help but admire her actions. But it was clear that it was all fruitless as waves of pain and cries accompanied every move. Pain, so much pain… Being in Ginny's mind, he understood that the pain was more mental than physical. And the injuries that caused that pain may never heal. He had such injuries too.

All and all Draco made about twenty flashbacks for display and removed his fingers. "Now we can go back. I bet we will be summoned the moment we arrive."

"Who was that woman?" Ginny asked out of blue.

"What woman?"

"The woman you put into mind instead of Andromeda? I now have two memories of shopping. It is quite confusing to say in the least."

"Oh, that one. She was supposed to go with you."

"Why didn't she?"

"To make long story short she is a Death Eater."

"Oh, okay. Isn't it dangerous to mess with the mind like that?"

"No, only tiring. I do it with myself every time and am still sane."

The faintest of smiles appeared on Ginny's lips. "Your sanity is always a matter of discussion. Let's go already."

Draco was right. The second their feet touched the stone floor, they were rooted to the spot by crucious pain of their Dark Marks.

"What in blasted Hell happened?" the Dark Lord's roar greeted them. It was followed by _Crucios_ before anything was said in return.

"My Lord," Draco managed to whisper, standing up. Ginny remained sprawled on the floor. "I don't know exactly myself, I came as soon as I found her. She seems to be Obliviated. You can look yourself."

"Bring her up," Voldemort snarled. Draco put Ginny into a sitting position. She was only half conscious from the curse.

A grave silence settled. Draco prayed in his head for everything to be fine. For his plan to work For Voldemort to just leave Ginny alone.

"Raped?" the Dark Lord asked with a surprised expression which was very uncharacteristic of him.

'_I knew the idea was brilliant_,' Draco thought with lifting up spirits.

"It is quite unfortunate… for me. I didn't want to have a tainted woman as my wife."

The last word made Ginny's snap wide open and just stare at the older version of Harry Potter. Her brain was paralyzed, she thought she died and went to Hell.

"But my Lord," Draco began steadily, but inside wanted to punch the floor open so it could consume 'his Lord'. "Isn't it logical to take as your wife the woman who will give birth to you heir?"

"Yes, you are quite right, Draco. But I must wait too long for the heir to be selected. The children won't show any magic at least till they are five year old. And other couples can't wait so long also, so the alternative of marrying a single pureblooded witch is quite appealing to me."

"I understand, my Lord." Well, he did understand, he thought about it himself, but Draco was still hoping… He did say he didn't want a tainted woman.

"To our luck this predicament is very easy to solve." The Dark Lord paused, not knowing that two people were holding their breaths to his words. "This event doesn't change anything. Virgin or not, Ginevra is a woman with pure blood. The previous arrangements remain. Dismissed."

"Do you still plan to take her as your wife, my Lord?"

"I will think about it. You can both go now."

After leaving the Main Hall, Draco and Ginny separated their ways, because Draco stormed off on high speed without giving Ginny a second glance. On the other hand, Ginny slowly walked through familiar corridors, coming conclusion that her life is going to a bottomless pit and her sufferings will never end.

When she entered their room, she thought it was a wrong one. The parchment rolls were lying everywhere, armchairs were turned over, pillows were in every corner. The only right thing in the room was the figure of Draco, repeatedly slamming his fists into the table which had at least one crack already.

'_Merlin, what is he doing? What made him act like this?_' Ginny carefully moved to her bed that wasn't touched and sat down. From her place she could clearly see a mask of fury on Draco's face.

"What are you so angry about?"

He sharply turned to her, connection his fist with the wood for another time. "And _you_ of all people are asking me this? My plan failed! I failed! Again! So much work was put into it and I am on ruins again. Why can't I do anything right?! And I dragged you into this. Of course, the plan wasn't foolproof, but there was 87 that it would work! Damn it all to Hell!" Another hit and the table fell in halves.

"How can you blame yourself, Draco? We tried and it didn't work. But we did at least something and you planned everything brilliantly."

"But the previous arrangements remain," he mocked. "It didn't help at all."

"At least I won't give my virginity to _him_. This is a very important achievement. By the way, what would've happened if we succeeded? If the Dark Lord had refused me?"

Draco remembered as he had the same conversation with Blaise a week ago.

Flashback

"You are planning quite a dangerous scheme, Draco. But if you play it through, what will happen next? I mean, the Dark Lord won't just set her free because she is not a virgin anymore. He can simply kill her."

"But you also forget there is a one more way."

"You won't."

"Why not?"

"But why can you possible do it?"

"I am still just a man."

End Flashback

"You could've been given to somebody to be engaged."

**A/N: So a lot of interesting events happened in this chapter**. **I think they are quite worth reviewing. And one more thing. Those Ginny's stories are not just for Draco's or your entertainment, they also have some twisted plot and sense in this fic. So read them attentively. **

**Thanks for everybody who reviewed so far, keep my life brighter with more!**

**Love you all! **


	14. Lost

**Chapter Fourteen: Lost**

Time… Time was a funny thing in the castle of the Dark Lord. Sometimes it went awfully slow and you were bored out of your mind. But when you tried to postpone some event for as long as possible, time seemed to fly with a speed of a bolt.

It was exactly the same for Ginny. The time decided to run as fast as possible to mend hours into days, and days into weeks for the dreadful day to come. The day when Ginny will enter the chambers of Lord Voldemort.

Actually, they didn't give up after the first attempt to drag Ginny out of that mess. The next day after she was 'raped', Ginny was checked up by the Healer under the orders of the Dark Lord. The new idea, which belonged to Draco of course, was to make her infertile, making Ginny utterly useless for fulfilling Voldemort's plans for her. Of course, the term 'useless' didn't suit Ginny in the slightest, but words were of no importance at that moment.

The Healer herself happened to be a captured person and tried to help the women as much as she could, hating Voldemort and his actions towards them with deep passion.

Draco brought Ginny to the cabinet and left without a word. Previously he told her that she would decide on the matter herself. If she wanted the effect to be permanent or temporary, in other words, the matter was completely in Ginny's hands.

It was a very serious step and Ginny wasn't sure about anything. On one hand, she was a woman and naturally wanted to be a mother, but on the other hand, Ginny wanted her children to be wanted, loved. Loved by her and their father and not be just a part of some selection experiment.

Fortunately, the Healer helped her to make the final decision. She placed a special curse on Ginny; the curse that allowed her to be impregnated only by the man she loved. When Ginny left the Healer's office, Draco asked if everything had been taken care of. Ginny only nodded.

That day the Dark Lord was informed that Ginny Weasley had become infertile due to the shock from being raped. That he was angry after such a piece of news was an understatement of the century. A lot of Death Eaters suffered from his wrath. As a result Ginny's visits to the Dark Lord's chambers were prolonged from one week to two.

Ginny didn't know if it was a victory of some sorts. She didn't know, didn't feel anything anymore. She felt numb. She did her work automatically, hardly caring for its accuracy. Surprisingly, no dissatisfaction was shown to her form her boss, because of the low quality of her work.

So three weeks after Ginny's trip to Italy came and left. She didn't even remember how she ended up with Draco, leading her to Master's bedroom.

"Your clothes' purchases seemed to be unpacked," Draco commented. What he was really saying was, "Why didn't you put on the clothes that were bought especially for the occasion?"

"I don't have anything to loose. Maybe he'll just kill me faster if I start disobeying from the very beginning." With that she disappeared behind the enormous iron doors to face her Fate.

'Yes, _you_ don't.'

The night has fallen long ago, but Draco still couldn't fall asleep. He couldn't relax when somewhere in this castle Ginny was being raped, and he was lying in his bed. Draco had no doubt about the raping. Yes, Ginny said she had nothing to loose, but knowing her she won't give up without a fight. The battle will be rough, bloody and painful and she didn't deserve that. Nobody deserved that.

Draco felt utterly useless. Yes, he tried everything in his power to prevent this, he hasn't only stood up directly between her and Voldemort. Still none of his schemes worked. He failed and he hated it. Of course, Draco had successes; lots of them, but now they seemed completely pointless and insignificant compared to one woman's life.

The door squeaked and Ginny crept in. She quietly shut the door and slid down onto the floor. Every fiber of her body arched. Arched from pain, exhaustion, disgust and hate. She couldn't move any further into the room. Ginny wondered how she had even managed to get _here_.

"Are you alright?" came from somewhere above.

Ginny raised her head to see an outline of a dark silhouette with a white halloo on it head. "Draco," she breathed out and stretched out her hands to be picked up like a powerless baby. The request wasn't ignored and a moment later Ginny found herself in the arm of Draco Malfoy.

Half through the journey from the door to Ginny's bed, Draco felt a sharp burning pain in his neck. "Ginny, take your hand away from my neck."

"But I'll fall down," she responded with a childish pout.

"Don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"The pain in your hand."

"I feel pain _all over_."

"Take it away, please," he practically pleaded.

Hearing his unusual tone of voice, Ginny pulled her arm back. Luckily, they were already at the bed, so nobody fell down onto the floor.

"What was that?" Ginny asked in a half-whispered, not having any strength to speak louder.

"No sex period. No skin to skin contact or we are both punished."

"Merlin, help us. Soon we will be punished with death for spitting in a public place." She tried to move, but that only resulted in pain which made her moan. "I am going to sleep."

"You can't go to sleep yet."

"Draco, don't turn as crazy as your Lord."

"Take these first." Draco pointed at three bottles on her nightstand.

"Huh?"

"Drink them and go to sleep."

Ginny drank all three potions one after the other and decided that a miracle had happened: the pain was gone completely, the head cleared and wasn't disoriented and her body became much more flexible.

"Thank you, Draco. You don't even imagine how grateful I am," Ginny said to his retreating back.

"There is one more thing I could do."

"Yes, please."

Draco gave her an astonished look. '_She didn't even ask what I was talking about. Well, she said yes._' "Obliviate."

Ginny sighed contently. "Now is much better." Two hours of her life in Voldemort's bedroom were completely aroused from her mind.

"Now about your gratitude. Tell me another story."

"Why do you want one?"

"I want to sleep. Somehow your stories help me to do it."

"I am so tired, Draco. Can I do it tomorrow?"

"You will be out in twenty four minutes, because of the potions. Can you spare these minutes of sleep to show your gratefulness?"

"Do you plan everything in your life?"

"No, only really important things."

With a sigh Ginny dragged herself to his bed and sat down onto the floor in the head of it. Draco was already under the covers.

"Ok, this story is about another son of Andrew and Millicent. His name was, hm, Peter. He was a very quiet child. Both parents were actually afraid of him being abnormal in some way, because he didn't like company of other kids and preferred to study in his room to read or draw. Because of his love for solitude, he was constantly teased by his elder hyperactive brothers. It made Peter even more withdrawn.

Still Peter wasn't really that passive, he was serious. Serious about life and especially his place in it. He often scolded his brothers for being lightheaded and living their life like playing a stupid children's game. Peter was serious about a lot of things, all things actually. It didn't do him any good. He concentrated on some things and discarded others as unimportant.

The problem was that just those things that seemed unimportant to his rational mind were the very core of life itself. For example, to his mind, a relationship was about marriage and not about love; parents only served as a contributors to upbringing and to provide care and warmth.

Peter was a career man. He was devoted to his work, but not really to the work itself, more to the achievement of a high post. The higher - the better. Such a goal just brought him to his downfall. He didn't just loose his job, it was a minor misfortune. The major tragedy was that when he fell there was nobody to give him a hand to help to stand up. With his indifference and show of superiority to others, Peter didn't have any friends or relations to turn to ask for help.

Andrew and Millicent were really disappointed with him. Yes, they still loved him because he was their son, but his betrayal of the family for his personal interests hurt them deeply. That's why they didn't help him when he needed it; they could've done it, if he returned to them or even asked them for help, but he hadn't. And then he died. He was the first to fall."

Ginny took a deep breath and brushed off a tear. She didn't want to bring back those memories. She was depressed as it was. The night the last drop of her innocence was lost. He hasn't betrayed her believes, he Cause or her family, but she was no better than any traitor. She has betrayed herself, her conscious, her heart. And Ginny felt utterly disgusted with it all. She wasn't dead, but she wasn't alive either. She was living in Hell and there was no way out of it.

'_There is still a beam of light in this Hell,_' Ginny thought, looking at sleeping Draco. She found a handkerchief and placed a kiss on his forehead through it. '_Thank you for everything._'

The next day wasn't any different from the others. Ginny had a deep, refreshing sleep, which let her to wake even earlier than usual. She took a long bath, cleaning dry blood from bruises and scratches – the results of her struggle the night before. The rags that once were her robes - the Dark Lord was really uncomfortable with her choice of clothing - were tossed into the trash bin.

When Ginny went to the office, Draco was still asleep. He appeared only at breakfast, taking his usual place beside Ginny.

"You seem to fall quickly out of your bad habits," Ginny commented on his arrival.

"The question is if it is a good thing or a bad thing," Draco said in return.

"To my mind, it is a good thing. But sleeping when others work for your benefit isn't very polite." '_And I miss you at the office._'

"Are you speaking on the behalf of your colleagues too?"

"Well… okay, it is my personal opinion."

"You lack the feeling of independence. That's your problem."

"Huh?"

"The guys can work with or without me in the office. They know what, how, and why they are doing it. And I don't remember you needing guidance in your work, especially from me. You can ask others if there is a problem. That's why I ask what you are _really_ worried about?"

'_You._' "It was exactly that I wanted to say."

"Have it your way. I don't want you to be my lapdog, by my employee who can efficiently do her work without needing any help. And I've noticed your new outfit. Finny decided to unpack your new wardrobe?"

The topic change was so drastic that Ginny blinked several times to gather her thoughts. She indeed wore a quite fancy outfit that day. It complemented her figure and emphasized even more how beautiful she was.

"I didn't put it on for _him_," Ginny said with a snort.

"For who then?"

"For others. I will change back after dinner."

"It is a real pang on the ego, you know."

"He can stuff his ego into his arse for all I care."

"You will be punished for this."

"It will happen, one way or another."

"But you are giving a weapon against you."

"He will find a reason to beat me up any way. This way, I at least know the reason. And banging his ego into a pulp is so worth it."

'_Yes, gryffindors are perfect Death Eaters or is Ginny just that smart?_'

The evening went in the same fashion as the previous one. This time the Dark Lord was beyond angry. Who did she think she was, parading in front of everybody like that? Only he had the right to see her like this! Ginny almost burst out laughing, seeing the Dark Lord fuming in a jealous rage. Of course, the situation lost its humorous side when Ginny was slapped across the face so hard that she fell down onto the floor and her old robes were ripped in halves. Still those few minutes of triumph made Ginny's night brighter.

She returned to an empty room which was a big surprise to her. Draco's bed didn't look to be slept in and there was no light under the bathroom door. So where the Hell was he?! Ginny drank the potions, took a bath and she still was alone in the room. One half an hour later the door to the bedroom opened to reveal Draco who cautiously stepped in and soundlessly went to his bed.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" he asked utterly surprised to see Ginny who sat at the head of the bed, as she did the previous night.

"Waiting for you to tell you a story, what else?"

"I didn't ask you to."

"So what? I am showing you my gratitude."

After Ginny's Obliviation and Draco's reading for bed, she began another story.

"This time I'll tell you about the twins, Gregory and Frank. If you had asked anybody at Hogwarts what they thought of them, then they would've told you, all without exception that the twins were crazy. They were so crazy in their craziness that everybody was crazy about them. If somebody wanted to play a prank on a student or even a professor and not to get caught, they asked Gregory and Frank and they did it. And did it with flourish.

They played their game just for the sake of it. In their opinion, their pranks weren't something to hurt somebody, they were done to cheer up the mood, to make everyone happy. The twins made their goal in life to be the artists of jokes and pranks. They were quite serious about it. Days were spent to bring a single idea to life, but when it was done, the public showed their gratitude with laugh, admiration and want for more. It was all the twins needed.

Ruining classrooms, getting numerous detentions, having a funny word for any occasion, playing massive jokes on everybody and with everything, twins left their imprint in the history of Hogwarts."

The week went in the same fashion. Work till dinner, night with the Dark Lord and stories about the twins for Draco after her return. It continued till Friday after which Draco was supposed to go to Italy.

"Blaise will take care of everything during my departure."

"Okay." '_Why he must always leave me when I need him the most? Well, doesn't know this, does he?_' "Don't forget Rogie's birthday."

"Hardly. Andromeda will have my head if I don't at least appear there."

"Have you got a present for him?"

"No, I haven't. Now she will definitely have my head. I'll buy smoothing on the way."

"He is your godson, don't forget about it," Ginny said quite sternly.

Saturday didn't bring anything special. Blaise indeed came to Obliviate her, but to Ginny he seemed much less experienced with mind charms than Draco. After Blaise's spell Ginny had a blank gap of two hours in her mind; but after Draco's obliviation she remembered everything that happened but without vivid details so to say. She still wondered how Draco managed that.

Sunday began without any differences. Ginny went to the office to bare herself with work just to do something, then went to the Dark Lord, putting the worst set of robes the House Elves could find for her. They were quite bewildered by her request.

Waiting for Blaise she looked through some papers on Draco's worktable. She understood some of them, some still remained mystery for her. The mystery remained uncovered, because at that very moment Blaise rushed into the room, face as white as chalk.

"Pansy… pain… the baby," he breathed out, trying to catch his breath.

The picture that Ginny saw storming into Blaise and Pansy's was horrible. Pansy was lying on the bed tossing and turning like a fish taken out of the water and holding onto her stomach. She didn't scream only because her teeth were clenched too tightly to utter a sound.

"Holly Founders," Ginny whispered, paralyzed for a moment. She saw a lot of people cursed with hexes one more terrible that the other, but this was completely different. Finally, Ginny snapped out of her shock to understand that some actions of help are in order. "Blaise!" she called, nearing the bed. "We must undress her. Put on something more comfortable." While Blaise was doing the job, Ginny tried to get through to Pansy. "Pansy, do you hear me? What is it, Pansy? Where does it hurt?"

"The baby… the baby," only left her lips.

"Merlin, Blaise… I think, I think, she is having a miscarriage. I can't do anything, you must call the Healer and -"

Ginny couldn't finish her phrase, because a tornado happened to enter the room. The tornado of black robes that appeared to be Draco. "What happened?" he asked, touching Pansy's forehead.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" Ginny asked shocked by his sudden appearance.

"I asked what had bloody happened?!"

"Pansy maybe having a miscarriage. It won't be over at least for several hours. We need to call somebody," Ginny mumbled.

"Painkiller, she needs a painkiller," Draco said under his breath and rushed to the door. On the doorstep he turned and shouted at Blaise? "Don't stand there like a statue! Do something! She is your wife!"

"What was that?" Ginny asked Blaise who snapped out of his stupor and fussed over Pansy to make comfortable on the bed. The pain seemed to subsided and Pansy fell into an exhausted slumber.

"What do you mean?"

"I've never seen him so… so nervous and worked up about something aside his work."

"Actually it is quite natural for Draco to act this way, especially about Pansy."

"You mean, because she was his first girlfriend?"

"Well, in Draco's case she wasn't only his first girlfriend, Pansy was his first love."

Ginny was so stunned by this information that her legs couldn't hold her, making her fall down on a nearby sofa. '_First _love_? So Draco Malfoy can love?_' "And he still loves her?"

"No, he doesn't."

"How can you be so sure? One never forgets his first love."

"He let her go. He let himself go, moved on. And frankly speaking, Draco's heart has been closed for a long time." '_Until recently_.' "He would've acted the same if on Pansy's place had been, for example, me or any of the guys who works at the office."

"But why? This is so uncharacteristic of him."

"Draco has a lot of secrets. Secrets about others and about himself. He even has secrets from himself."

"But why did you mention the guys too? How can they be connected to all this?"

"You don't know why Draco appeared here, right?"

"No, I am at a loss here."

"The Mark called him. The Mark of the Mortals."

'_Of course, the people whom he trusts. Blaise and Pansy must be among them._' "So whenever and wherever a Mortal is in danger, Draco is called for help?"

"Actually a complicated alarm system was established by Draco when the Mortals were founded. If somebody's Mark sends a help signal then every Mortal within ten miles radius is notified; if within an hour the signal doesn't disappear then everybody in the country are notified. If after another hour the signal is being sent, then Draco is notified and comes to the rescue whenever wherever the endangered person is."

"But this signal can be a trap!"

"It can't, because it is sent without person's knowing – his strong feelings of fear, despair or pain activate it."

"But several people can be in danger simultaneously. It is impossible to same everyone."

"Yes, it is impossible. Nobody said that the Mortals don't casualties. Five men were lost. Five brilliant men. It was a real loss for Draco."

"I bet it isn't pleasant to receive such a signal."

"And what do you think Draco feels when your signal of help goes on for two hours every day for the past week and he can't do anything?"

"Oh." That was unexpected. Hell, all events of the day were so sudden that Ginny though everything had turned upside down. The whole Draco's world, and she considered herself to be a part of it to some extent, changed drastically under extreme circumstances. Or maybe Draco always had a heroic feature but she never noticed?

"Blaise?" Pansy moaned.

"I am here, darling. Do you need anything?"

Ginny was stunned by how much love and devotion was in Blaise's glance. She also couldn't help but feel jealous. Why couldn't _she_ have such happiness in her life?

"Contraction, they are more frequent now," Pansy said, overwhelming the pain.

"Blaise, you must call the Healer. I won't be able to do everything correctly. We may even loose her. And where is Draco when you need him?!" Ginny exclaimed in despair.

As if hearing her words Draco appeared beside Ginny. He intently looked her over, at the same time giving Blaise three flasks with orange liquid.

"What?" Ginny snapped at his inspection.

"Seems to be nothing."

The Healer apparated after five minutes and started to usher the men out of the room.

"But she is my wife!" Blaise protested.

"Common, Blaise, let women do their work. Pansy will be alright." With this said Draco practically dragged Blaise out.

"Oh, we must use Carryforce in her delicate condition and I don't have even a dose of it now," the Healer wailed, helping Pansy to move into the needed position.

Draco's head appeared in the doorway. "Excuse me for interrupting, but Carryforce in on the table near the bed."

In an hour everything was finished. With the help of Ginny and the potion Pansy went through a painful but fortunate miscarriage. Fortunate for her at least. The Healer informed them that Pansy was still able to have children and the miscarriage wasn't cause by her physiological defects. The news was happily met by the young couple.

But Pansy wasn't alone in her pregnancy misfortune. During the following two weeks all women who were impregnated by the Dark Lord had miscarriages. None was spared. The generation of the Dark Lord's heirs was irretrievably lost.

**A/N: So things hit up a bit. What do you think about it? And thanks for marvelous reviews, I am really surprised there are so many of them. But the more the merrier!**


	15. Just a Man

**Chapter Fifteenth: Just a Man**

Being angry was quite a usual state for the Dark Lord. His Death Eaters were used to that, used to punishment he placed on them, because he was simply in a bad mood and needed to let out his frustration on somebody. But his current mood of ultimate fury couldn't be compared to anything.

Voldemort's anger had a reason of course. The failure of the 'breeding' project wasn't something to be happy about. That was clear, but there was also another reason nobody spoke about but everybody knew. The women proved to be absolutely healthy, so the seed of the Dark Lord seemed to be too weak to create a child. And that was below the belt for any man.

Ginny hand the worst of it. She was a woman so she was to pay for others not keeping his children safe. The beatings and raping were so violent that Draco had to bring her to the bedroom himself, because she collapsed in the hallways halfway back. The potions Ginny took every night doubled. The worst thing was that Draco couldn't heal her injuries. It could compromise his position.

Still with all precautions made, one slip of Ginny's tongue put their lives in danger. It happened on Saturday of the second week of her visiting the chambers of the Dark Lord.

"We had quite a close call," Draco said on Monday morning, when they were waiting for the call to breakfast. It became a tradition for Draco and Ginny not to go to the office before breakfast to which she was really grateful.

"What do you mean?"

"You cried out my name on Saturday night. My first name," Draco said slowly, as if not believing in it himself.

"I did?" Ginny blushed. "Sorry, I don't remember anything about Saturday. Blaise is not that talented at mind charms as you are," she finished softly.

"Well, I was shown this particular moment. Not only that, but I was interrogated for half an hour about our relationship, while I was having very important meeting with the French Minister of Magic. I don't remember ever lying so much in my life."

"So we are off the hook?"

"Hardly. That fact that it was a cry for help and not of some other origin certainly helped, but I didn't let him explore my mind and that made him suspicious."

Ginny couldn't look into his eyes anymore. She clearly understood what 'other origin' he was talking about and she didn't know how to react to it. Why did she do it? Why did she cry _his_ name? Not her mother or Harry's, but Draco's name? Did she want Voldemort and Draco to reverse places? After meeting his stormy eyes, Ginny knew that she really wanted it.

'_These eyes. There is something unusual in them today. Something familiar, but I've not seen it for a long time. What could it be?' _A few pictures flashed in front of her eyes, pictures of the past that she thought were forgotten long ago. And then she saw that look, in the eyes of another man, in the eyes of Harry Potter the week before he died. '_The look of lust…_'

Before Ginny could somehow analyze the situation and Draco's disposition towards her, he started talking with his usual look of superiority and distance. "In two days we are going to France."

"You mean _you_ are going to France?"

"No, we are all going. I, you, Blaise, Pansy, Richard, Bernard and Raymond. There will be a meeting of the Mortals."

"All of them?"

"Yes."

"And why am _I_ going to France? Hardly for another shopping session."

"You are going because I am taking you."

"You mean without any excuse for the Dark Lord?!"

"I don't give a damn about him and his permission right now. We need to relax and we are going to do it. Anyway, I heard the Dark Lord, considering himself a sex god, is ravishing muggle brothels right now."

"Muggle brothels? You've got to be kidding me!"

"My source is quite reliable. And you must've noticed the recent commotion in the castle? Everyone tries to do the 'illegal' part of his business right now. An angry boss is a good thing when he is not angry at you. That's why I won't be at the office today; I have meetings with Rudolph and Blaise and many others. So many things to day and so little time. Like always."

"But what about this meeting in France? What _I_ am going to do there?"

"Have fun. And ask Pansy to… to fix you up."

"Oh, okay."

On the day of the departure Ginny was skipping like a little girl who got a piece of long wanted candy. She was first of all going to a party and secondly she was doing it just for the sake of it, not to fulfill a cunning plan of for Draco's business. She put on her best dress robes of deep burgundy color. Pansy fixed her up quite nicely: no bruises or wounds were left on her body. Pansy also lent her a pair of gloves, so there won't be any problems with touching.

And that's how Draco found her, sitting on pins and needles in their bedroom, perfectly groomed to not leave any man indifferent to her appearance. And Draco was a man, so he was stunned to muteness for at least five seconds when he saw her.

"I see you are ready," he finally said as if his mind was somewhere far away. "Everybody are already there. Let's go."

They apparated from the castle to land in a sunny hall in what seemed to be a hotel. No sound indicated that a party was going on somewhere in the building; the fact surprised Ginny.

"It is so quite here. As if the building is abandoned," she remarked, looking around.

"The meeting is supposed to be top secret. No one must know when and where it happens."

They reached a middle sized wooden doors and entered. The sight that greeted Ginny was such a drastic change from what she saw everyday that her jaw hit the floor. The room was lit by hundreds of candles. Round tables for six were placed around the spacious room. And between those tables stood handsome men not older than 25. They were animatedly talking to each other and seemed to be quite close acquaintances.

Ginny looked around and saw Rudolph, who waved t her, his usual mask of despair gone. He had a fever discussion with a middle aged man. Their pair was the only one older then thirty.

"At last, Draco! We've been waiting for two hours already!" greeted a man, who suddenly appeared beside them.

"Just made the last preparations for the next week," Draco said in return.

"Oh," replied the man with understanding.

"Common. Our table is in the back," Draco talk Ginny, dragging her in to the mentioned direction.

"I can walk myself, you know."

"You didn't look like it a minute ago."

"I was just looking at the decorations. They are so beautiful…"

"You can say it to Carl later."

"Carl?"

"Yes, he made them. But now isn't the time."

They walked slowly through the gathering. Slowly, because Draco shook hands with every man they met and there were quite a number of them. Finally they reached their table where Blaise and Pansy were sitting already.

"Good day, Ladies and Gentlemen," Draco began, facing the already sited people. "I am very glad that you all managed to come today. I want to thank you for an excellent work during these last months. We are heading into the right direction and our goal is as reachable as ever." The cheers erupted fro the listeners. "As you have probably noticed already we have a new member, Ginny, who works in my main office." Another round of applause. "She is a wonderful addition to our society."

'_Wonderful addition, my arse_,' Ginny mocked. '_As if! Even if I am, he never tells be_ that.'

"I want to thank Phillip for providing us with shelter this time, Carl – for decorations and of course Andromeda – for wonderful food."

"We haven't tasted it yet!" somebody exclaimed.

"Isn't it always?" Draco remarked with a smile. "So dig in!" The sound of clinking cutlery followed his last sentence.

"It is so different here," Ginny said to Draco, when he sat down after his speech.

"It is France. It is supposed to be different."

"You know, what I am talking about, Draco."

"I told you the Mortals were unusual."

"Yeah. So what happens next? We eat and…"

"And then we talk, discuss things, international affairs, mingle. Such meetings are rare occasions, they give an opportunity for everybody to know each other better."

"And Draco forgot to mention dancing," Pansy added with a wink.

"If you call it dancing," Draco mocked with a snort.

"And what is wrong with it?" Ginny asked.

"Well, picture four women and thirty three man dancing."

"Yes, that's kinda difficult," Ginny agreed.

"Thirty four men, Draco. You always forget to count yourself in," Pansy remarked.

"If I am dancing then I do it with a real woman, not with some puppet you like to charm for the occasion. Now excuse me, I need some business to attend to," Draco snapped and hurriedly left the table.

"What bug bit him? He was normal five minutes," Ginny wondered, looking onto Draco's retreating back.

"Nothing much. Draco just loves dancing and can't do it now, because there isn't a partner for him here. Quite a pity, he could show them all what the real dancing is," Pansy explained. "By the way, Blaise, don't you have any business to attend to?" she asked innocently.

"You could've simply told me to get lost, so you could to gossip with Ginny."

"Yes, but we are in public."

Blaise rolled his eyes, but mended with the other men in black robes.

"Nice dress, Ginny. Where did you get it?"

"During my trip to Italy. The Dark Lord ordered to get me a new wardrobe, so I went shopping with Andromeda. It went really well."

"Yeh, Italy. I prayed all night for everything to be alright with you two."

"Thank you, Pansy. I've never thought you cared for me that much."

"I suppose you don't know what was the risk of bringing to life the plan Draco came up with, do you?"

"I know, the risk was high. Something could've gone wrong or the Dark Lord could've killed me or both of us after he had got the news."

"The picture is much bigger than you think, Ginny. There is something special about you. The moment you appeared in the castle great changes started happening."

"Changes like what?"

"Changes that made Draco risk everything just to help you, to save you from your Fate. He risked his life, his, work, the lives of people you see around you right now, the future of England, the future of the whole Europe just to keep you from entering Voldemort's bedroom."

"He did?" Ginny whispered, bewildered by Pansy's words. '_So maybe I am not just a bargain, maybe he has some feelings for me._' The thought warmed Ginny on the inside.

Blaise was walking through dancing couples with a goal to have a talk with Draco. He found him behind a secluded table with a bottle of wine.

"Brooding as always, Draco?"

"I am not brooding, I am relaxing."

"I don't believe it one bit, but let's assume you are relaxing."

"What do you want, Blaise?"

"I want to know what is wrong with you."

"Nothing worth your attention."

"Listen, Draco, you are my friend. My best friend. I know you from inside out and I know that right now something bad is happening to you."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Reports you have given me this month. There is less and less sanity in each of them."

"You are such a smart arse, Blaise," Draco said with a sigh.

"You haven't answered my question."

"I am not going to."

"It is about her, right?" Draco's grip on the glass tightened. "I warned you, Draco, but I am not against it. You have the right to have a life as every man in this room and they have it. Only you sacrificed yourself for them, to save them, to save everybody, but who will save you? Can _she _save you?"

"No, she can't, Blaise. She will be the death of me, I can feel it."

"I don't think this is the only thing you feel towards her."

"I want her, Blaise."

"You mean, you want to sleep with her? That's a first."

"If only… I want the whole package: to live with her, to eat with her, to listen to her stories, to talk to her. I want her to be _mine_. And mine alone."

"No wonder you are so shaken up recently."

"She almost _died_ three times because of his beatings. I still don't know how I managed to revive her. What will happen if that madman decides to officially marry her? It is a vicious circle, Blaise. If he takes her, he kills her one way or another, because she will never submit. If he continues to keep her as his sex toy, it will kill her, killing me in the process. If she dies, I'll kill myself. Why can't this son of the bitch just die?!

He is having fun with slut while I am going through pure torture every day and night, knowing that I'll _never_ be able to touch her. Merlin, Blaise, one night, just one night with her and I can die a happy man."

"You can't just die, Draco."

"Oh, don't tell me about making history now, Blaise! For almost five years I've been making history and what did I get in return?! Nothing! Only scars and nightmares. At last I am doing something for myself and it is more difficult that to save a whole nation! How can it be possible?!"

'_Poor Draco. He fights alone with an army. It's impossible for him to win._' "Do you love her?"

"Look at her. How can you not love her?"

Blaise glanced at Ginny, who laughed at something Richard, her current dancing partner, said. She was the epitome of beauty: fiery auburn locks, cascading onto her shoulders, shiny chocolate eyes, full rosy lips, curvy figure, beside the warmth that radiated from her. And Draco needed somebody to warm him up. "I wish I could help, Draco."

"There is nobody who could do anything about. I still need to make an announcement."

They stood up and moved to the table they occupied in the beginning of the meeting. Draco pressed his Mark and instantly all puppets were gone and all heads turned to him.

"Please, sit down, Ladies and Gentlemen. I have an announcement to make, but a very important one. Important to the future of our organization." Draco paused for everybody to take their places. Ginny returned from the dance floor to sit down beside him. "I want to ask everybody a question: who wants to be my successor in being the head of the Mortal Businessmen?"

A deadly silence met his question, then the whole gathering erupted with indignant exclamations, "What?!", "Why now, Draco?!", "You are perfect leader!", "Nobody will do it better than you!"

"Enough!" Draco's shout slashed like a whip. Everybody shut up immediately. Draco wasn't the leader for nothing. He knew how to control those people and who make them welcome his authority, that's why the organization was so united. "I asked you all a question and I want an answer to it. Maybe not now but not later than in a week. I can bring somebody form outside but you understand that it is better to choose someone from among you. Someone who knows the system already. You can vote among yourselves, do it however you like. Blaise and the women are out of question."

"Why me too?" asked a vivid blond woman. She had a manly figure and looked quite tough.

"Because, Atlanta, even if you are a widow, you can still find a suitable man and have a family. And no family person can take my post, I won't allow it. As I said you have a week. If nobody candidates, I will start looking for a suitable person. Now you may continue your festivities."

"What the fuck, Draco?" Blaise asked the moment Draco sat down. He was completely shocked by Draco's proposal. It was utterly unexpected even to him. To him, who was practically Draco's right hand in the Mortals.

"Mind your language, Blaise. There are ladies, here," Pansy reproached him.

"Don't bother, Pansy," Ginny cut in. "I myself wanted to ask what the fuck you need a successor for, Draco?! You are not even 25 yet!"

"I have my reasons. And I won't be replaced this fast. He must be trained for at least a year to be able to head the Mortals."

"So your successor is a he. It can't be a single woman in your opinion?" Ginny continued her bugging him with questions.

"The job is too stressful for female. And a family context can't be overlooked."

"So you are absolutely sure that no woman can take you post?"

"I didn't say that no woman could do it. Actually, I know one smart which who could do it, but her candidacy has a lot of disadvantages."

"Like what for example?"

"Firstly, she territorially unreachable, she lacks an innovative approach, she has a family and probably children already and most importantly she isn't connected to the world of the Dark Lord, thus has no idea what is happening in the depths of it."

"Who may be that be?"

"Actually, you know her personally, Ginny."

"Tell us already, Draco. Stop playing on our nerves," Pansy pleaded.

"Mrs. Ronald Weasley."

"Hermione?" Ginny didn't already remember how many times she had been surprised that evening.

"Who else can be smart enough?" Draco inquired shrugging.

"But she is a muggle-born."

"So what? There are only five purebloods in the Mortals including us. Maybe more, I've never asked about their lineages, when I hired them. Their analytical skills told me everything I needed to know." '_It will be one Hell of a task to find this suitable person_.'

This information gave Ginny a material to think about. She didn't know a lot about the Mortals. She didn't even know what exactly they were doing, but the atmosphere in the society hardly resembled one in the world of the Dark Lord. In all aspects. And that was the world of Draco Malfoy. Quite uncharacteristic of him. Characteristic or not, Ginny liked that Draco more.

A tall dark haired man neared their table.

"You want something, Phillip?" Draco addressed him.

"About accommodations for the night." After Draco's nod, he continued. "I booked numbers in twelve hotels. People are shifted so there are no compatriots in one group. Do you want the list of the hotels and the names?"

"No, thank you, Phillip. I don't think anything will happen tonight. Did you make reservations for me as I required?"

"Yes, Draco. Here is all information." Phillip gave Draco a small carton, then a similar one to Blaise and moved on, giving everyone similar cards.

"Good night then, Blaise, Pansy," Ginny said her good byes to the couple.

"We still must make the last toast." Draco rose up with a glass in his hands. Everybody followed suit. "For Bill, Antony, Francesco, Philippe and hidalgo. Five brilliant men who gave their lives for their country," Draco proclaimed, drinking his wine in one gulp.

The hotel room Draco Ginny entered was a typical wizarding hotel number, but was comfortable and well equipped. Ginny instantly noticed that there were _two_ bedrooms connected by a small sitting area. Ginny knocked onto Draco's door.

"Come in,"

"When do we leave tomorrow?" she asked, peeping into Draco's room.

"I don't know, around twelve maybe. Tomorrow is a day off, if it is what you are worried about."

"Well, not exactly," Ginny began hesitantly. "I want to ask that if we don't need to wake up early tomorrow and it isn't really late now to go to sleep right away so maybe I could change and we could go somewhere to dance?"

"What?"

"I said that -"

"I heard what you said, but what is the meaning of this?"

"Well, you said you had heard me but for an old man who wants to retire I can repeat. Would you like to dance with me while we are out of that damn castle?"

Draco smirked, but felt all fuzzy inside. He couldn't resist, he was just a man after all. "Why are you still standing here? Go change!"

**A/N: So I broke my promise. This fic is going to be far much larger than 50 000 words. For all interested can say that it will consist of 20 chapters, so it is 4 more.**

**By the way, nobody commented about Pansy being Draco's first love that was written about in the previous chapter.**

**And of course huge thanks for your reviews! Love you all!**


	16. His Story

**A/N: I give you all the right to hex me into next month and back. I haven't updated for sp long, because I was just sooooooooooooo lazy and the chapters are just soooooooo large. Well, hopefully you'll forgive me and don't flame this chapter, even if it a bit controversial. **

**Chapter Sixteen: His Story**

"What is happening, Pansy?" Ginny asked, having tea with Pansy on the balcony of her and Blaise's chambers.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know exactly. It seems that the castle is moving with all the people running back and forth. As if something big is going to happen. I practically haven't seen Draco at all since the meeting of the Mortals last week."

"Well, maybe something _is _happening, but I prefer not to know about the details. All I know is that Blaise is also running rounds, he even made three trips abroad."

"But what if something _bad_ is happening?"

"The last good thing that happened in this castle was when the Dark Lord left for a 'vacation'. Other things were all bad."

"But you are talking about it so evenly. Like Draco when he talks about Death as it is a usual breakfast dish."

"He looked into its eyes many times. Too many times. I don't approve of his methods most of the time, but they save lives of thousands wizards and witches in Europe, so we must resign to them."

"What exactly is he doing? He tells me nothing, you tell me nothing, nobody tells me anything! I want to know, I want to help somehow, do something for others' benefit! I am not just a body with a birth giving function."

"I wholly understand you, Ginny. But sometimes you have to wait for the opportune moment to give your help. Maybe at that very moment it will be needed the most."

Ginny sighed. "How can you be so calm? Blaise is your future husband after all; you must worry at least a bit."

"First of all, I _am_ worried, but I am used to not show it. And secondly, Draco and you are barely friends, so your worrying sick about him is quite… surprising."

Ginny's face turned red. "Well…I… I just… just don't want him to get hurt." '_Yeh, not to mention that I miss him terribly and can't go to sleep until he returns to our bedroom. _Our _bedroom?! Get your thoughts straight! Well, it is kinda our bedroom, because we both sleep there, but we don't sleep together and… What're you thinking about, Ginny Weasley?! But it will be so good to feel again the warmth that came from his body when we share one bed in Italy or when we were dancing in France… Oh, Merlin, I completely forgot!_' "I've brought your gloves back, Pansy."

"Were they useful?"

"Quite," Ginny answered, looking at her knees in a useless attempt to hide her blush.

'_Something happened between them. Finally!_' Pansy squealed in her head, but then conversationally. "In what way, if I may inquire?"

"I still have that damn curse on me, which prevents any skin to skin contact with other male Death Eaters but with gloves I could dance pretty comfortable and without hurting anymore. And, Pansy, you didn't mention that Draco was a dancing god!"

"I don't remember you and Draco dancing on the meeting; he never dances there."

'_Oops, shouldn't've said the last sentence._' "Well, we kinda went out instead of just going to sleep," Ginny explained under her breath.

"You mean, he asked you out?!" Pansy exclaimed unable to contain her excitement anymore.

"Merlin, no!"

"And now tell me you don't want him to ask you out," Pansy said firmly, looking straight into Ginny eyes, so it was impossible for her to lie or weasel out of the answering.

"You know that we can't be together," Ginny stammered.

"Why? Because you are a gryffindor and he is a slytherin? Because you are a Weasley and he is a Malfoy? Forget this, Ginny! We are not at school anymore, this doesn't matter here. All that matters is survival, and to survive you need a shoulder to lean on not to fall; a hand to help you to stand you up if you have fallen; somebody to be beside you if you can't stand up already and to die with you when you've died. You can't survive alone."

"Tell this to Draco. I know what companionship is, thank you very much. I lived with a family of nine people."

"He knows this. But he is stubborn and proud. I he hadn't been, he would've been dead long ago. But at the same time, you must help him to see that he can't be alone, he isn't alone, that he has you."

"But why _me_? It can be any other girl or you or Blaise."

"Because Draco _wants_ it to be _you_."

He felt pain all over. He couldn't even move his limbs to reach the bed to just lie down. '_Blaise, make an apparitional point in my room.' _ His message was barely a whisper. In five minutes Draco landed on his bed, miraculously in one piece.

"Draco?" came instantly Ginny's worried voice. "Is everything okay?" When he didn't answer, she rushed to his bed, not caring that a short white nightgown was the only thing she was wearing. '_Why don't we have light here? I can't see what it is with him. Well, of course, Ginny, if you had had a wand than you could've _Lumos_ your way, but you don't have a wand so turn into a cat to see in the dark. What has happened to him this time?_'

Ginny finally reached Draco's bed to see a ghostly pale face covered with blood, the robes were blood stained too. "Holly Gryffindor! Draco, Draco, do you hear me?" No answer was received. Acting on instinct Ginny turned his head to see where the blood was coming from. Her fingers burnt the moment she touched his forehead. On Draco's end the pain was much more serious, because it was strong enough to jolt him into conscience.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Draco. I forgot. I just wanted to help you… I was scared you'd bleed to death," Ginny would've continued babbling if at that moment he hadn't turn to face her. His eyes were full of pain, torture, entreaty, tiredness, hopelessness, complete vulnerability. Ginny's heart fell. "You are not going to die! Do you hear me?! You re not going to die on me! Bloody Hell, what can I do?" Ginny looked around to finally spot Draco's wand on the floor. She opened her Mortals' Mark, took Draco's wand and touched the mark with it. "Pansy, Blaise, come her at once!" Yes, she knew that using someone else's wand wouldn't do her any good, but the circumstances were deadly extreme.

Two minutes later Blaise and Pansy appeared in the room in their bathrobes, looking taken out of bed by her call.

"What is it?" Blaise grunted. "I can't see a thing here. _Lumos_. Holy shit!" Blaise instantly woke up seeing Draco's messed up figure.

"We must do something. Quickly," Ginny pleaded with them.

"You fool, you couldn't make the alarm signal to work the other way too, right Draco?" Blaise snapped.

"Your hand would've fallen off already if I had done it," came Draco's raspy voice. "Take me to the lab, you won't find anything here."

"To the lab?" Ginny asked astonished. But before anybody could explain to her what was going on, Pansy conjured a stretcher under Draco and started to levitate him out of the room. Ginny followed.

When Draco and Ginny went somewhere, they usually turned to the right, but this time the procession turned to the left from the bedroom door. After a dozen feet they went through the portrait of Salazar Slytherin and stepped into the dungeons. Entering a small squeaky door, Ginny found herself in a spacious room with shelves upon shelves full of vials, bottles, even cauldrons of different potions.

"What is this place?" Ginny finally asked.

"It is Draco's potions' laboratory and now we must use it to help him."

Pansy quickly worked through Draco's robes, trying to find the bleeding wound on his body. It didn't take long to find a deep cut on Draco's chest just above his heart. The shirt was soaked with blood, sticking to his body. Pansy unceremoniously ripped it off to get a straight access to the deep gash. She muttered spell after spell, trying to stop the blood, but nothing worked. The wound in the head didn't stop bleeding either.

"Damn cursed weapons," Blaise muttered, going through potions' shelves, looking for the right one.

"Stigna purifico," Draco breathed out.

"No way in Hell," Pansy whispered.

"Stigna purifico," Draco repeated, with pressure this time.

"Pansy, do as he says. I can't stand it anymore," Ginny begged, brushing off tears. The sight of blood didn't scare her or made her feel sick, but she couldn't stand the thought that each minute added to Draco's sufferings.

"As you say, mate," Blaise said with a sigh and took a bottle with bright blue liquid.

"Ginny, sit down onto his legs," Blaise instructed, moving to press Draco's hands to the bench he was lying on. Ginny obeyed.

Pansy took the bottle and brought up it to the chest wound. "You suggested it yourself, Draco. It is your final chance to refuse." Draco only closed his eyes in return. His whole body relaxed and he curtly nodded.

What happened next would stay in Ginny's memory forever. Pansy opened the bottle and started to pour the potion directly on the wound. The moment it touched his skin, Draco jerked and roared. Roared as a huge wounded animal, which was running through the forest blindingly, seeking release from its pain, but at the same time it knew that there will be only death for it in the end. With the last drop the wounds sealed, leaving thin scars on his chest and left temple, and Draco passed out.

"It wasn't the first time he used this potion, was it?" Ginny asked, looking at grim faces of Pansy and Blaise.

"Third. Everything will be alright tomorrow. Don't worry."

"I am not worried."

"You hands are shaking, Ginny."

Everything was not okay the next morning. Draco had a fever and was very weak. Ginny didn't leave his bed even for a minute.

"I need to go to a very important meeting," Draco stated, attempting to stand up.

Ginny effortless pushed him down. "You are going nowhere. You are resting for as long as you need to recover."

"If I don't go, half of the plans will be ruined. And when did you become my nanny? I am too old to have one."

"I've become your nanny since Pansy asked me to look after your crazy self. And what but childness you can call the fact that you let yourself be stabbed?!"

"You can't foresee an assassination, you know!"

"Assassination?" Ginny was glad she was sitting for she didn't fall because her knees weakened from pure panic.

"Yes, assassination. I jumped aside and spared myself some time till another attempt to kill me."

"Who was it?"

"Don't know in the slightest. He is dead for all I know."

"You killed him."

"Yes, I killed him."

"And how many attempts will occur in the future?"

"Till they finally kill me, obviously."

"Are you ready to die?"

"No, I don't have a successor. I should've started looking for him earlier, but was too busy with organizing everything. But now I can concentrate on the search."

"That's all? All you need in life is a successor?"

"What else can be there?"

"Well, I don't know… Continuing the family line, for example."

"There is no point in creating a family to abandon them right away. It will be just a physical passing on of Malfoy genes, nothing more. I thought I had at least two more years, but the Dark Lord to messed up my plans for the future."

"Can you tell me about them? At least a bit? I just want to know what is going on. I want to be a part of what you are doing."

Draco took a deep breath. There wasn't any point to keep it from her any longer. He didn't lie on the meeting, she _was_ a wonderful addition to the Mortals. She was smart, open minded, passionate in what she was doing. She had great potential, but she also had an axe above her head. The axe that was Lord Voldemort, who, for some reason, wanted to make Ginny Weasley his wife.

And this is how Draco began his story. "Once you asked me why I did work I hated. I told you it was my business. It was the truth, but not all of it. I am a Malfoy and the Malfoys are businessmen. Not all Malfoys practiced the Dark Arts on every corner, even my father wasn't that deep into them. When he became a Death Eater, he was young, single, filthy rich – because of grandfather, – arrogant and ambitious. But we are not talking about my father now, we are talking about the Malfoys. For centuries the Malfoys headed several large corporations in both wizarding and muggle worlds."

"Muggle too?"

"Of course. It would've been impossible to make good money otherwise. Anyway, the Malfoys were always true businessmen. They never ever stole, killed, robbed, violated physically or mentally to become richer. Yes, they were cunning, sly, manipulative, but never crossed the line of decency. And nothing in the world will make _me_ do that. Being the last of the Malfoy clan I am going to keep the tradition of my family."

You are probably wondering what the history of the Malfoys has to do with activity of the Mortals. Actually, everything. You have seen Italy and France; you noticed that no war was going on there. Everything is absolutely peaceful, normal. The Dark Lord doesn't know about it. He thinks that Europe is a campfire of rebellion against current government. Yes, he flooded Europe with his agents, spies, informers who must inform him about the situation, but, as you saw yourself, they give him false information.

Why? Because the wizarding Europe don't give a damn about some upstart who decided to conquer the world. They lived without him and they'll live without him rather well. The problem is that upstart is rather powerful and has weapons that can wipe off entire nations, so they must be considerate to him or else. And it continues till today.

When I was placed on my post, my task as the Financial Consultant was not to secure post war UK's financial state, not guarantee that all business which worked before the war function normally again or to establish a stable economy policy that will turn Great Britain into a mighty power. Oh no, all I should do was to count all valuable assets and bring them to the Dark Lord and his fair Death Eaters. Others can go to Hell.

This rubbish, this insanity contradicted not only with basic economic laws but with common sense itself. At the very beginning I started to make revision of all firms, companies, corporation and other money making organizations. That was all what those sent reports were about. Some were ruined, some were useless, some still functioned and some needed to be restored, because of their vital place on the market.

But information wasn't everything. That's when the Mortals were formed. Economists, accouters, brokers, managers, entrepreneurs who had brains in their heads and interests of their country at their hearts. I started with England, of course. I can tell without any self-praise that I know how works every café, every firm in this country. I started to rebuild the wizarding England with eight men beside me. I wish I had had more people, twenty at least, but I used whom I had. Nights and days of inspection and selection and a more or less clear picture formed.

Then there came another obstacle: if nothing was imported to UK then the country would just die. So we needed to make contacts with other European countries and we did. It couldn't be done unnoticeable to the Dark Lord, so he established his rules on import: they were mostly luxuries and other useless garbage. So I needed to correct that.

That was the moment when Blaise appeared on the scene. Hundreds of import and export shippings with encoded cargo. Only one tenth of it goes to the Dark Lord. Other parts contain food, medicine and other normal and needed goods.

All of it needed money, lots and lots of money and we hadn't a spare sickle. Other countries were subsided by their Ministries because they were personally interested on our success. But England needed money too; it was half destroyed by the war so it needed all the money it could get._ I_ could get.

And then I found him. It was on pure accident. I walked on one of the streets of muggle London to visit one peculiar shop when I noticed a man with vivid red hair. I don't remember why I focused my glance on him. There was something about him. Not that he was a red head or had ugly scars on his face, but something aside from appearance. It is actually how I usually find new members. I feel that there is something special about them. This is how I found Bill."

"Bill?"

"Yes, Bill."

"Bill with red hair and scars over his face? Bill Weasley, my elder brother?"

"Exactly. He was my key to the gold of Gringotts."

"Bill was one of the Mortals?!!"

"Yes, he was. He was also a close friend of mine. We did great things together."

"So he died because of being in your organization?"

"You know yourself that he was killed during the attack in the Ministry. I told him not to go, but he was too stubborn and noble to sit it out. Damn Weasley temper."

"But there wasn't any Mark on Bill's wrist when I saw his body."

"It disappeared. It disappears on three occasions: when it is removed, when the barrier of the Mark dies or when I die. Total secrecy."

"And the Dark Lord hasn't even suspected your playing against him? But this is impossible! There is always a leak in any organization."

"I will know when there is one."

"And how will you manage that?"

"You've never thought about how the Mark protects certain memories of yours, haven't you?"

"Well, I thought it just did, that's all."

"When I decided to create a Mark of my own to freely communicate with others, I started a research on the Dark Mark. I couldn't have appeared out of thin air. I found needed spells and other stuff and began my work. My Mark works practically the same as the Dark Mark, but with some slight differences."

"It tickles," Ginny interrupted with giggles.

"Yes, it tickles. It is also connected to the nerve endings in your wrist which go directly to your brain. This allows to send the alarm signal and also to have a special area in your mind. The area where all conversations go, events or thoughts that must be protected from the Dark Lord.

Returning to your question about my knowing of the leak. When I meet with the Mortals every week, I scan their minds for any treachery. They all know basic Occlumency and if I feel a block in somebody's mind, then it must be investigated."

"But what if he is just hiding some intimate moments of his life?"

"It is a matter of trust, Ginny. I won't look into every recent memory. It takes too much time. I could've watched what had happened to you in that bedroom, but I didn't. You could've betrayed me, giving Him information that could really sabotage my work. But I knew you wouldn't because I trust you.

I trust my Mortals because they are all I have. Every death was like a cut on my heart. And I am afraid it will be cut into tiny pieces soon."

"Why? What is going to happen?"

"A project. The final project of the Dark Lord that was planned at the very beginning of his reign. It is meant to finally make official the reign of Lord Voldemort as the only ruler of the wizarding world. The project is called 'purification'."

"Merlin no. You don't think that, don't you, Draco?"

"I mean exactly that. Almost all muggle population will be killed, the remained will be turned into slaves; half-bloods who are Death Eaters right now will be turned into white collar workers. They will do the work the slaves cannot. Everybody else will be just murdered."

"Nut that's horrible!!! It's… it's murderous! And the pureblooded will rule the world! But that's… that's…"

"Middle Age."

"What?"

"The Middle Age. Feudal system. Hundreds of years of civilization development, both wizarding and muggle, will be lost forever. Even this 'breeding' project resembled the law of the first wedding night. He wants to turn the history back to the times when aristocracy ruled and did absolutely nothing but leisurely spent their time hunting, eating, drinking and sleeping with different women without paying for anything."

"This is utter madness."

"And there is nothing that could be done to stop it. I hoped to somehow talk him out of it. I hoped I had another two years, but the failure of the 'breeding' project made him want blood, lots of blood and immediately."

"But how? How is it possible to kill milliards of people? At a short period of time no less?"

"There is one word for it – magic plague."

"Holly Founders, how cruel one mind can be?" Ginny groaned.

"In a week, in a month at most, everything will be ruined, practically all the Mortals will be dead, all the efforts to somehow save the wizarding world will be pointless. Merlin, another failure! I hope I won't live through it. The funnies thing is that they all die in a year or two, five at most."

"Why, Draco, why?"

"From starvation," he answered with a chuckle. "What will happen if you take a muggle from a comfortable modern world and put him on an unploughed field to grow vegetables? He won't simply know how to do it! Or he'll go mad or kill himself from despair and hunger. It is a dead end. They'll just kill each other until utter destruction. Isn't it funny? Isn't it?! " In the end Draco was already laughing like mad, trashing around on the bed. "I can't even go mad! Why? Why me?!"

"Draco! Draco! Listen to me! Stop it this instant!" Knowing that it could help somehow, Ginny climbed onto the bed and sat down onto his torso. The action didn't stop Draco however. That's why or maybe not only because of the situation, Ginny grabbed Draco's head and kissed him on the lips. For a second Ginny had gone to Heaven, but then a burning pain pierced her lips and hands and she let go. Let go to meet Draco's wide eyes and a slightly opened mouth. '_His lips are so sweet. How I wish I could do it again._'

His next words utterly confused Ginny. "Now he will definitely kill me," Draco breathed out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. And could you, please, get off of me?" '_You are giving me ideas. Bad ideas. Naughty ideas._' He groaned. '_When will this torture end?_'

"Are you alright?" Ginny asked, hesitantly getting off of the bed.

"You mean, am I going mad or not already? No, you kinda brought me back to earth."

"Who is going to kill you?"

"And why do you want to know?"

"To know whose ass to kick when he does it."

"Your jealous fiancée, apparently."

"My what?"

"The Dark Lord slash Harry Potter, remember now? You know this - "

"Disgusting son of a bitch?"

"Well, you could put it this way, but it doesn't change the fact that he is jealous and tries to send me to Hell before my departure time."

"Wait a minute. Jealous? Jealous of…?"

"Of me, you stupid girl. Your saying _my_ name in _his_ bed gave him wrong ideas. Your _kissing_ me in _my bed_ will give him even more wrong ideas."

'_Are they really wrong?_' they thought together.

"So the assassination wasn't connected to your business, it happened because of me and can be repeated again, because the Dark Lord thinks that there is… there is something between us?"

"Yes."

"Then you should stay here till he calms down."

"Are you nuts?! The world is about to dawn and you are saying that I am staying here?! No way!"

"The world will dawn anyway! You've said so yourself. Why not live t least one day normally without running around, trying to save what can't be saved anyway? If you are so eager to do your business, I'll calm him down myself! I'll put on that damn lingerie if it helps."

"You are not going to do that," Draco stated gravely.

"Why is that?" Ginny mocked back.

"Because I am telling you not to."

"Oh, yeah? And who did you give the right to tell me what to do?!"

"You know that I have this right. And you are _not_ going there under any circumstances. I don't want you to go there. Because if you do, in this state I won't be able to - " he stopped suddenly.

"Won't be able to do what?"

"Doesn't matter."

"If it doesn't matter then you can say it. It is nothing important, isn't it?"

"I won't be able to bring you back, satisfied?"

"Oh. I won't go then. But you said you must leave the room to… to - "

"Clean up the mess in the room, we are receiving guests here today. And, Ginny, there are certain rules in this castle. The Dark Lord can't break them because he made them himself. One of these rules is that on every second Sunday of August is the Sorting Ceremony. If the Dark Lord won't make any decision about you during this week, you are to participate."

"And what will happen after it."

"You will be engaged."


	17. Sorted Out

**Chapter Seventeen: Sorted Out**

"Draco, you are nuts," Blaise stated, having a conversation over a glass of wine in Venice. They were doing business in town, but decided, or I better say, Blaise decided that some food was in order, so he dragged Draco into a small Italian restaurant.

"I don't remember that you were famous for stating the obvious, Blaise."

"But this is utter ridiculousness. You are pushing it too far and too fast."

"I don't care."

"But insisting in her participating in the Sorting is just suicide!"

"Well, He should've thought better before putting her with somebody as stubborn as me. And don't tell me about suicidal tendencies, Blaise. You and Pansy are registering your relationship tomorrow. Just papers, but quite powerful ones."

Blaise averted his glance. "Damn you and your talent, Draco."

"You are not alone, my friend. I've just stumbled on Parvati Patil and Paddock near the Italian Ministry. It was obvious what they were doing there. I am sure every same couple whose relationship is based on love, and there are quite a lot of them, will run and marry during this turbulence without peeping a word to the Dark Lord. So I don't see what is so insane in my actions to put Ginny into the Sorting Ceremony."

"Yes, but He reserved her for _himself_! That's what is wrong with the picture."

"Then he must take her and marry her."

"I don't understand what you are playing at, Draco."

"I am playing on man's ego."

Draco's announcement about participating in the Sorting totally surprised Ginny. She knew what the procedure was about, but had never thought she would be a part of it. Well, if Draco says so then she will do so. What worse then being the fiancée of the Dark Lord could happen there?

On the 16th of August, which happened to be the Sorting day, Ginny was lead to a big hall to be prepared for this glorious event. There were fourteen girls including Ginny. She was the only one older than 18. The girls looked calm but miserable. Yes, they came willingly to preserve their freedom, but having an arranged marriage wasn't anything to joyful about.

"They aren't that bad, girls," Ginny tried to cheer them up. "They are just men after all. It will turn better when you get to know them."

"Yeah, the only thing they think is about sex," one of the girls grunted.

"Well, yes they do. But love them and they will love in return. Understanding is the key here. It will be hard to gain their trust and trust them or to prove that you are worth something more than to be just a sex partner. But then everything will be alright."

"How do you know all this?"

"Well, I've been living here for quite some time already. I don't know all the rules, of course. I don't even know why I am here with you if I have a guardian already, but so it is. Let's make their jaws drop, girls! This Sorting will be put in history!"

Ginny was right, that Sorting Ceremony was indeed talked about for quite some time., but not because of the reason she proposed. The ceremony itself was quite simple. There were fourteen women for at least forty men. Quite a situation, if I may so.

Lord Voldemort was sitting on high throne-like chair, calling out women's names in the alphabetic order. Ginny was the last one.

"Cordelia Abbegnail." Cordelia, a pretty blond, stepped forward into the light. "Who wants to claim this woman as his?" Twelve men stepped forward. "Choose," the Dark lord uttered dismissively, as if he had no interest in what was occurring around him.

It took Cordelia twenty minutes to look through all of them and ten minutes more to make the final decision.

The whole event gave Ginny an impression of a marketplace where cattle was sold. But it was quite fair for the girls. Still, as on any market, the last one gets the worst. And Ginny was the last one.

'_Why can't Draco be here? Why must he remain with his no-place-for-a-woman-in-my-life attitude?_'

And the Sorting went on. Women chose their fiancées and left. There was also one peculiar couple. Ginny didn't know them, but she instantly noticed attraction between them.

'_Love at first sight. How sweet. I told them everything would be alright. Huh, my turn is soon._'

After five hours of nervous waiting, Ginny stepped into the light without waiting to be announced. They knew her anyway.

"Who wants claim this woman as his?" the Dark Lord asked for the umpteenth time, but it was clear that he was interested in the turn of the events.

Nobody moved for a whole minute. Ginny almost sighed with relief. Relief that nobody wanted her and she could go back to Draco and everything would be alright. The reason of the motionlessness was quite the opposite. They did saw her at meals every day, but it was nothing compared to the sight at that moment. And that beauty couldn't just stand there.

One, three, seven, twelve, fifteen. Fifteen men stood in front of flabbergasted Ginny. She couldn't believe it. '_Fifteen? Now can anybody choose from this many?_'

She looked sideways and started to move her glance from the right. The third one was Richard. Ginny gave him a smile and moved in. She was glad that Richard actually had gut to come there. Well, he wasn't a Mortal for nothing.

But Richard was in the past already. Ginny's undivided attention was placed on the eighth place from the right. To Ginny he didn't seem to be even standing – he was shining. His pale face, straight aristocratic features, tender lips, eyes which were sparkling with something good, something promising. She hasn't ever seen him looking so beautiful. Her blood was boiling, boiling with uncontrollable desire that moved Ginny towards him on its own accord. She stepped as close to him as possible and rubbed her head onto his chest.

"You came, Draco. You came."

"No! Not him!" The sharp cry made everyone turn their heads into the direction it came from. The Dark Lord's features were constricted with fury, hate and pure jealousy. "Anyone but him," he snarled.

"Choose," Draco uttered, sending an icy glare into the Dark Lord's direction.

"Where were we?" Ginny tugged on Draco's robes, not even bothering to look at the fuming Voldemort.

Draco and Ginny strode out of the Main Hall under stunned looks of twenty Death Eaters. They will always remember the day when a mere woman, more to it, a Weasley dared to reject the Dark Lord.

"Have you seen his face?! He looked like he was constipated or something!" Ginny giggled, clinging on Draco's arm. Then she noticed something strange about the said arm. She looked down at it and saw… "Velvet?"

"What about it?" Draco asked evenly. He looked as collected as ever, but inside he was dancing a jig. Ginny was finally his. And practically nothing could take her from him now. Practically, meaning that the Dark Lord and death were still on his tail, but till then…

"You don't have velvet robes, Draco."

"And you know exactly what robes I have?"

"Of course. I _live_ with you for Gryffindor's sake! There are no velvet robes among your eleven ones."

"So it is a new one."

'_He has dressed up! He's dressed up for me!_' "I like velvet."

"And?"

"I wish I also had velvet robes."

"So you are asking for presents already?"

"Well, I… yeah, I _am_ asking."

"We'll see about that."

"So what will happen now?"

"Your dream will come true – we'll move in the fancy neighborhood where Pansy and Blaise live. Oh, not Pansy and Blaise anymore, where the Zabinies live."

"They've got married?! I am so happy for them!"

"Yeh, me too," Draco muttered with pain in his voice.

"Do you still love her?"

"Huh?"

"Do you still love Pansy?"

"Where did that come from?"

"You didn't sound all that happy about their marriage."

"No, I don't love her anymore. It is all in the past."

"Why are you sad then?"

'_Because _we_ will never get married._' "Because… because it wasn't a normal wedding. They just signed paper in the registry office and that's it. No guests, no bride, no flowers, just two pieces of parchment."

"Do they have rings at least?"

"Rings? I don't know. I haven't seen then for two days."

"They are probably 'honeymooning'."

"Probably. Here is our room."

"Huh?" Ginny haven't even noticed that they already reached the couples' floor, she was so engrossed in listening to Draco. The chambers were the exact copy of the Zabinies' ones: a living room, a balcony and two bedrooms.

'Two _bedrooms?! Firstly in France and now here. Is Draco pushing me away?_'

"What are you staring at? Just choose one, there are only two of them, not fifteen."

"That is exactly what confuses me – two bedrooms and not one."

"And why there must be _one_ bedroom?"

"Because couples are put together to create a new generation of pureblooded children. I think it is impossible to create anything, sleeping in different beds."

Ginny's answer made Draco's eyebrows rise quite high into the hairline. '_She wants to make children? With me? But why will she want to do that? She doesn't even like me._' "Ginny," he began slowly, "this engagement is only technical. You are not obliged to do anything, most importantly bare my children. It changes nothing. Changes nothing between us."

"Technical?!!" Ginny blew up. "Bloody Hell!" She stepped to the nearest bedroom and stormed in, slamming the door behind her. "How can he do this to me?! Like I am some detail in his plans! And I thought he had feelings for me! Ha, he is just a Malfoy – a businessman to the bone.

I wish he had really wanted to claim me as his. But he did appear on the Sorting. I could've chosen Richard and still would've been save from the Dark Lord. I'll never understand him. He doesn't _let_ me understand him! One time he opens up and then the river dries out for a decade. Stupid git! And I love that stupid git. Why? Why me?" Ginny asked through sobs, lying on the four-poster bed. She didn't even notice the beauty of the room's decorations, she was so depressed.

"Ginny, are you alright?" Draco asked, peeping into a dark room.

"Sod off!" she grunted in return.

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything is not okay, satisfied?"

"I understand, you think a conversation with a pillow is exciting, but look at me when I am talking to you," Draco ordered.

"Look who is talking! If I remember right you just lo-o-o-oved to talk to your poor pillows!" Ginny snarled, throwing a pillow at him.

"What is bloody wrong with you?!" Draco yelled, catching the pillow and throwing it onto the floor.

"You! This is what is wrong with me! I thought I meant at least something to you and you put me through all this just to change one room for another! I am not a thing, I am a human being and I have feelings too!"

While Ginny was having her accusative speech, sitting on the bed, Draco was slowly advancing on her. With Ginny's last yell, he grabbed her wrists and pressed her to his chest, making her look directly into his stormy eyes.

"Listen to me closely, because I'll say it only once," Draco started ingratiatingly, "you've never been a thing to me, even in the very beginning. And I do care about what happens to you." '_More than you ever know._'

"Prove it."

Draco released his hold on her and showed Ginny his Mortal's Mark. It was grey and pulsating. "This is your alarm signal."

"Why do _you_ receive it? I know it goes to you only if the signal doesn't die out for two hours."

"Your signal goes straight to me and nobody else. Is it enough of a proof to you?" While Ginny was blinking speechless, Draco pressed his Mark to hers and the signal stopped coming. "Now go to sleep. Tomorrow will be another mess day."

"Will you leave again?"

"No, I am working in the office tomorrow."

"Oh, okay, good night then."

"Good night, Ginny."

'_How stupid can you get, Ginny? This is just ridiculously childish. Just close your eyes, relax and go to sleep…Dammit, I can't sleep without Draco in the same room! This is crazy!_'

Still she got up from the bed, put on her bathrobe and went to check on Draco. Light was coming from under his door.

'_This isn't good. Not good at all. It is two in the morning already_.' Ginny crept into Draco's bedroom to see him sitting behind his worktable, scribing his night away. "What are you doing?"

"I think that is obvious. The question is what are _you_ doing _here_ in the middle of the night?" Draco asked turning to her and instantly regretting it – the bathrobes shouldn't be that transparent.

"I am trying to return you to healthier habits. Meaning that right now you must not be here but there," Ginny answered, pointing from the table to the bed.

"Sleep can wait and England can't."

"But you said yourself that in a month there wouldn't be anything to save."

"So what?! I'll fight till the end! There is still a tiny chance for everything to turn normal again. I can't let the boys die, knowing that I didn't do everything possible to save them. How don't you understand, Ginny, the Mortals are like sons to me even if the majority of them are older than I. Can get enough sleep in my grave, if I even have one."

"Stop! Stop speaking about Death as if it just an ordinary event in your life! People care, you know," she finished in a whisper.

"If they care so much then they can leave me alone so I could work for their own benefit, can't they?"

"Okay, okay, don't get you knickers in a twist. I still insist on your going to sleep, but if you are going to continue to be as stubborn as you always do then may I just sit here for a while?"

"What for?"

"Does it matter? You work and I'll just sit without bothering you." Draco just grunted in return.

So Ginny got comfortable on his bed and watched Draco work. It wasn't a very exciting show, but not a boring one either, because Ginny just lo-o-o-ved watching how candle light flicked on his blond locks, giving them several different shades; how he frowned, trying to find an answer in numerous papers around him and how his eyes sparkled with childish mirth when he finally found it; how his shoulders tensed, showing curvy muscles on his back.

'_Tensed shoulders? Not good._' She quickly moved to stand behind him and started to massage his shoulders, which tensed even more after her touch.

"And what happened to promising not to bother me?" Draco asked, without taking his glance from the papers. It was really hard to concentrate on anything, knowing that Ginny was lying on his bed in practically nothing. And now she decided to frustrate him even more by coming so close.

"I am not bothering, I am helping. So shut up and go back to work," Ginny ordered, shoving him onto the back.

"Uuuum, what a mighty has risen. I've never thought you had it in you."

"You have no idea about what I really have," Ginny whispered huskily, sending shivers down Draco's spine. Her eagerness to touch him moved her hands to rub his neck and an already familiar pain went through her hands.

"That son of a bitch!" Draco exclaimed, jerking up. "I'll show him who the man here is." With that said he headed to the door.

"No, Draco, stop! Don't go to him! It's suicide!"

"You are not alone here, you know," Draco uttered, looking down at Ginny, who was sitting on the floor, clenching his robes.

"It's utter madness. What will you do in the middle of the night?"

"Something to make him take that curse from you."

"And what will it be?"

"I don't know. Yet."

"Then maybe it is better to wait till morning?"

Draco couldn't resist her pleading eyes. "Okay. I still don't understand why he wants you so hard, besides '_stunning beauty, gorgeous sexy body, irresistible charm_' the obvious reasons," he wondered, helping Ginny up. "Why did he turn into Potter in the first place?"

"Because of the blood, probably."

"What blood?"

"Voldemort used Harry's blood to get a new body, so genetically when he started to transform into a human, Harry's body became his own. Well, they always had a tight connection."

"Connection, you say?" Draco asked with a conspirational smirk. "It explains a lot of things… But it is so unbelievable… You loved each other, didn't you?"

"You mean…"

"Did Potter and you love each other?"

"But how can it be connected to the current situation?" Ginny asked, blushing.

"It has a direct connection. And if I am right, I haven't heard a funnier thing in my life. The Dark Lord is in love with you."

"What?! You must've gone nuts! That's absurd! That creature can't love," Ginny said between laughs.

"But he does. In his own animalistic way. He wants you. Wants to have you. Wants to marry you. Wants to have power over you. But there is a slight problem – _you_ don't want to. And it makes him really mad. He is drawn to you but can't have you. I told you about the problem with women in this castle. He can rape you whenever, but there is no point if you don't finally submit and be his."

"But why? Why does he want _me_ of all women?"

"Because of the connection, why else? What do you think Potter thought about during his duel with Voldemort?"

"Well, I don't know… Maybe about avenging his parents' death?"

"Maybe. But let me give you a man's point of view. You know that men always think about sex, right?" Ginny smiled, but nodded. "I bet at that moment Potter thought about sex too. He regretted leaving you in the warm bed a week before. He thought he would shag you senseless when everything was over; that he would marry you and have lots of children with you and so on. So basically at the moment of his death Potter thought about _you_. And somehow these thoughts moved into the mind of the Dark Lord. And this is it. Now I understand why he put you under my care. The plan was rather good, but…"

"But what?"

"But the Dark Lord never takes into account the human factor. That's why he is resting in the web of lies without noticing it."

"So why you?"

"Because I am Draco Malfoy."

"So?"

"And you are Ginny Weasley - "

"And our families hate each other - "

"And we hate each other with passion. So there was no possibility for us to give the Dark Lord a reason to be jealous. Of course, we could've just ripped each other to shreds, but, I think, he could've prevented it. Any co-work was also impossible to his mind. Easy and effective."

"But it is just stupid. Did he think that after living together for several months we wouldn't get close or something?"

"And did we get close?"

"Well, we do trust each other. We are sorta friends. Right?"

"You can say so."

"Engaged friends. An interesting relationship, if you ask me."

"I didn't ask. You have chosen me yourself. Anyone could've been on my place."

"I don't think so, Draco. I had my reasons."

"And what are those reasons?"

"_My_ reasons."

"How interesting."

"I agree with you on that one."

"By the way, traditionally it doesn't happen, but since you have reasons for me being here, I want you to have this." Draco threw her a small box.

"What can that be?"

"Open and find out."

Ginny opened the box and was rented speechless. In the box was a ring. A simple golden band with a delicate ruby in the center. "Wow. How do you know I like rubies?"

"I didn't know. I just chose what suited you the most."

"But when did you manage to but it? We were together all day after the Sorting."

"Well, you know I can be in the strangest places at the strangest time."

"Thank you anyway."

"You are welcome."

"It's an engagement ring, right?"

"Should be."

"I'll put it on the ring finger then. You must do something about that curse, Draco. I can't even shake your hand to thank you." '_And snog you senseless. He gave me a ring! Does it mean he has a romantic interest in me?_' "Is there any point to go to sleep now? We have to wake up early to go to the office anyway."

"You are quite eager to go to the office lately. Want to meet Richard so much?"

"I have chosen you, not him. Remember that, Draco."

**A/N: Please, don't kill me for making you to wait for so long. Hopefully it was worth the wait. So to your great pleasure Draco and Ginny are engaged, what a HUGE surprise here. I hope you are all satisfied and won't fry me with your flaming reviews.**


	18. A Glimpse of Freedom

**Chapter Eighteen: A Glimpse of Freedom**

The 'engagement' brought no change between them. Or that's what Draco and Ginny thought so.

Draco didn't succeed in asking to remove the curse from Ginny, because the Dark lord was said to be ill and didn't receive any visitors. The news itself was very shocking of course, but to the young couple it only meant an increasing of Draco's activity and a slight weakening of the curse. This meant that Draco traveled all the time and Ginny didn't left any serious burns on him when she accidentally touched his bare shoulders during their teeth brushing.

And so they continued to live together. Nothing seemed to change only the sleeping arrangements.

The Dark Lord was right saying that if women were put together then they would certainly devise a plan and bring it to live. In exactly the same mode Pansy and Ginny came to a conclusion that some quality time together was in order. So practically by force they fished out their men from the world of business to have a dinner together at Draco and Ginny's chambers.

"Who would've thought only several months ago that our roles would be reversed?" Pansy asked, taking a cup of tea, handed to her by Ginny.

"Yeah, who would of thought?" Blaise mocked, whispering to Draco. "We talked about you becoming our neighbors that day, didn't we? And where did it get you? Right here."

"No harm done, Blaise," Draco responded, watching Ginny's hands, working with the tea service. '_She is so graceful._'

"Are you sure, mate?" Draco's distant look told him everything.

"So how is it going with you two?" Ginny asked, finally sitting down. She was busy all day long, preparing everything for the guests' arrival. Yes, she was a bit tired, but full of enthusiasm.

"Yeah, Pansy, tell us how is it going," Draco said with a knowing smirk.

"You know, Draco, prying into everybody's mind isn't polite," Pansy said with a pout.

"Well, I didn't exactly pry, I just felt - "

"Stuff it, Draco," Blaise protested. "_I _was told only yesterday."

"It was an accident, believe me. Well, I am sorry, okay. I felt something was wrong with Pansy and checked her out."

"Hey! Hey! What are you all talking about?" Ginny exclaimed, interrupting the argument.

"I am pregnant," Pansy announced.

"Wow, that's wonderful, Pansy! I am so happy for you!" Ginny squealed, hugging her. "But what about this mind prying stuff? I didn't understand a thing."

"You haven't told her, haven't you?" Blaise muttered.

"Haven't told me what?"

"Nothing important," Draco stated. "Let's talk about something more interesting than me. Have you picked any names yet?"

The topic was instantly picked up by Pansy and soon everyone was involved into a conversation about babies' stuff. But Ginny didn't forget about 'nothing important'. She would certainly ask Draco's about it sometime.

The evening continued with dancing, which surprised both Pansy and Blaise. They didn't even remember the last time they saw Draco dancing. And now he was dancing with Ginny absolutely freely, as it was a daily activity in their life. It was confirmed by the fact that the glove Ginny put on before dancing were lying on the small vase table in the living room.

Being not used to the continue dancing, the Zabinies soon found themselves on the sofa resting while Draco and Ginny went on swinging to a romantic tune.

"They look good together, don't they, Blaise?"

"Yeah, surprisingly, they do."

"Have you noticed?"

"What?"

"The sexual tension between them is so thick I could cut it with a knife."

"Is it a good sign or a bad sign?"

"Well, dancing is a good sign but Ginny's gloves are definitely a bad one."

"Draco loves her. He told me."

"But that's terrific, Blaise! What is he waiting for then? They are engaged. He can ask her out on a date with no precautions now when the Dark Lord is ill."

"You know Draco. Right now he is trying to save the world, forgetting he also has a life. He isn't in denial about his feelings, thank Founders for that, but he hides them."

"Like he restricts himself to love. Idiot."

"Of course he is. Instead of organizing a new brunch of grocery stored he should've dragged Ginny into his bedroom and shag her senseless."

"Blaise! Mind your language."

"Well, I don't remember you minding when I did it a week ago," Blaise remarked suggestively. "Or maybe I need to convince you with another go?"

"Blaise, you naughty boy! Keep your hands to yourself. Wait till we leave."

"And when is that?" Blaise murmured, already kissing her neck.

"After I talk to Ginny. Maybe we can push them a bit more."

"So you are playing matchmaker?"

"Could be."

"My feet are killing me!" Ginny breathed out, falling down onto the sofa beside Pansy.

"How many times did I tell you not to dance wearing heels? But no-o-o-o, every time it is the same bloody problem. And tomorrow you will lump the whole day and - "

"You'll need to make that potion again. Yeah, I am sorry, Draco. Again. What can I do? I like wearing heels." '_And they make my legs look longer. I can at least try to impress you, can't I? Nothing works unfortunately._'

"I am really sorry to interrupt your spat, But Draco, do you mind if I talk to Ginny for a bit? I am sure you and Blaise can find something to discuss," Pansy asked, amused by their conversation.

"So how is your engagement life going, Ginny?" Pansy asked when they went off to the balcony.

"I have a spare room."

"And?"

"And that's all."

"You don't have any… interaction?"

"How can we interact if Draco is always away? Especially now."

"Yeah. They spent the whole week abroad."

"They do?"

"Yes, Blaise haven't slept at home for seven nights."

"Are you sure they were together, Pansy?"

"Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"Because Draco slept _here_ this whole week."

"How do you know that?"

"I check on him every night to make sure he is sleeping and not working. And… well… I can't fall asleep if I know that he is not in his room," Ginny finished, blushing slightly.

"Does Draco know of that disability of yours? I bet he does, he knows everything." '_Quite a tender gesture, Draco. To return to your bedroom at night just so Ginny can sleep normally. Or is there something more to it?_'

"Knows _everything_? Is this somehow connected with the mind prying you talked about earlier?"

"Actually, yes. But you must ask Draco about it yourself, because he doesn't reveal his secret on his own accord. He will tell you, I am sure."

"And why will he tell me of all people?"

"Because he trusts you, because you are his friend and don't forget, you are still his fiancée."

"Only technically," Ginny mocked.

"You are wearing his engagement ring. It gives you certain rights. He _gave _you certain rights with it."

"Hah! We don't even have rights like any other normal couple does!"

"Meaning?"

"The woman has a wand and no sex restrictions."

"And you want both?" Pansy asked with mischievous sparks in her eyes.

"Of course, I want my wand! I am still a witch after all!"

"And, what about sex?"

"What about it?" Ginny asked, instantly loosing her irascibility.

"Well, if you want to have no sex restriction then obviously you want to have sex and you've chosen Draco as your partner in that daily life activity."

"These are only your conclusions, I haven't said a thing," Ginny defended herself.

"Don't be silly, Ginny I am your friend, you can tell me everything. And believe me there is nothing abnormal in your behavior. Draco is very easy on the eyes. Every girl would've wanted to sleep with him at least once."

"But I am not any girl, Pansy! I love him, I want him and I can't live without him. And he is just as cold as a stone! Only while we dance he lets his facade slip a bit, but when we stop, the distance returns. It is pure torture and that damn curse is just a 'bonus'."

"You want me to believe that Draco doesn't react to you? That he isn't attracted to you in any way?"

"Of course, he doesn't react. I've tried everything already! The heels were the last straw. It is pointless to try anything else. And even if a miracle happens, and my attempts to impress Draco succeed, what next then? We can't even hug properly without burning all over.

To me it is even worse than being raped by Voldemort because then I knew that it would be over at some point, but now… Now it is like I am in Hell all over again even if I sleep in a comfy bed and don't get up at 6 am."

"I don't believe it, Blaise!" Pansy exclaimed after leaving Ginny and Draco's chambers. "Blind fools! They love each other, they want each other and they hide it from each other. It is just stupid!"

"I don't agree with you on the last one, Pansy. They'll get through it. Maybe right now isn't really a good time to start a relationship."

"And why is that?"

"Now is too dangerous. What will happen if they follow their feelings and have to be parted? It will be much harder then."

"What do you mean, parted? Parted by whom? Even the Dark Lord can't part them now, because they are engaged."

"Hardly. Just yesterday was another assassination attempt on Draco. I saved him just a moment before the curse killed him. Do you know why he didn't prevent it himself? Because he was staring at a red-headed girl. Another moment and Draco would've been dead. Now isn't the time for them."

"Another attempt?" Pansy whispered, finally realizing that there were more serious things than her matchmaking.

"Yes. Every minute something can happen and it won't be good."

"Will you come home at night, darling? Please?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like Draco. He returns here at night."

"So this is where he disappears every night. I wonder where from Draco finds strength to apparate back and forth on such long distances."

"Well, he has a strong stimulus. He has Ginny. Will you come to me at night, Blaise? Come to _us_?"

"Of course, darling."

……………………………..

Time went on. Two months passed after the visit of Pansy and Blaise. Pansy frequently visited Ginny to have some women's talk while Blaise and Draco were… somewhere. The only thing women did know was that the Mortals were expanding. The number of the members doubled during the last three months. Everything was moving in the castle and outside of it.

Draco took Ginny to a number of trips to France, mainly Paris, which she absolutely loved. During those trips Ginny felt herself not only a woman but a free person. She accompanied Draco to his meetings with other Mortals and Ministry officials, now understanding a lot more about Draco's courses of action, especially after starting doing analytical work in the office.

On one particular weekend which they were spending in the South of France, Ginny decided to finally ask Draco about his prying into people's minds. She didn't ask earlier because she didn't want to force it out of him. Ginny thought that the current relaxed atmosphere on the recess balcony of a penthouse, where they stayed during their trip, was quite suitable for getting some answers.

"Draco, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he drawled, taking a sip of a red wine. He looked completely relaxed, watching the sunset in the distance.

"Do you remember the last time Pansy and Blaise visited us, you argued about - "

"You want to know how I pry into people's minds, don't you?"

"Well, yeah."

"Why are you asking only now? Two months later?"

"It seems to be the right time."

"The answer to that question has a long prologue, long in a time sense at least. After Severus and I escaped Hogwarts after my sixth year we went into hiding, using a small cottage on the outskirts of Oxford. He started to tech me Occlumency for my protection and during one of the classes we discovered that I had a special talent, a talent of a Memorycatcher. "

"Memorycatcher?"

"Exactly. But I better show you for easier understanding. Do you have any particular nasty memories?"

"You know that I do," Ginny answered, shuddering.

"Then I can make them better."

"How?"

"Let's go to the mirror, you'll be able to see everything yourself."

They moved inside and Ginny sat down in front of a large mirror and shuddered again; this time from Draco's breath on her neck.

"The main ability of the Memorycatcher is to obviously catch memories," Draco began to explain, touching Ginny's right temple and dragging out of it three sparkling blue strings – three memories.

Ginny instantly saw the Chamber of Secrets. Cold green stone covered with blood. Giant terrifying head of Salazar Slytherin. And then… then flowers started to bloom all over the place. Ginny's fragile unconscious form was lying not on a stone but on a fluffy pink blanket. Ugly snakes turned into fountains with cheeky cupids.

Ginny looked with wide eyes at Draco, who at that moment played with shin memories with his fingers.

"Impressed?" he asked with a smile.

"How is it even possible?" Ginny whispered utterly astonished.

"It's easy stuff. Here I have direct contact. What I did with your memories in Italy was more complicated, because I worked in your rain where millions of memories reside. I can also do other things like manipulating minds, contact other people through them directly or on distance. Not to mention my high level of Occlumency and Legilimency. Do you want them like this or should I change them back?"

"Huh?"

"Your memories."

"Oh that. I like them this way more, but cupids seem to bee too mushy. Maybe something else?"

"Like what?"

"Like dragons for example."

"Dragons?"

"Yes, I like dragons. Have anything against them?"

"Dragons it is then." A slight movement of his fingers and cupids changed into dragons with velvet cloaks. Draco moved his hand away and the memories were sucked back into Ginny's head.

"I haven't felt a thing."

"That's the point."

"You mean, you can walk around, enter any mind you want, change whatever you want there and disappear without a trace?"

"Yes, I could."

"But that's unfair! Not to mention illegal!"

"I said, I could not I did. I usually use this ability to 'lie' to the Dark Lord."

"So if you have used that talent to the fullest you would've been - " she stopped abruptly.

"Say it, Ginny."

"You would've been the next Dark Lord."

"Yes, it is possible. But the use of such power is very tiring. Of course, if I devote my live to training then in several years I could kick the Dark Lord's arse out of his throne. But I see absolutely _no_ point in this."

"Why?"

"You mean, why I, a Malfoy, don't want to rule the world, to control everything around me?"

"Okay, you've cracked me. I mean, you told me about your family history. The Malfoys always controlled huge corporations and everything was taken from you and… and, well, you get the picture."

"Actually, Ginny, you have a point here."

"I haven't given you any ideas, I hope?"

"These ideas are the ones of the past. Let me ask you a question: how old am I?"

"Twenty one."

"Twenty two, but it doesn't matter. The thing that matters is: do I look like a world's ruler?"

'_A ruler of mine world for sure._' "Well, I've never seen one."

"Anyway, a world's ruler at twenty two, even at twenty five, isn't it ridiculous? I mean, don't I have a life?

Even if we suppose that I want to be the successor of the Dark Lord because he doesn't have a rightful heir, where will it get me? The Inner Circle is already plotting who will be the next Lord. They are ready to kill each other for it. Blaise and I don't participate because we have other things to do. More important things.

Lord Voldemort made mistakes when he started his conquering campaign. He was a bad politician from the start. It's pure logic. You can't promise ultimate power when you make people bow to you. You can't give unlimited riches if you can't provide simple food. Power is a good thing but it must be shared with the ones who follow you, who believe in you. If you don't then will happen exactly what is happening in the castle right now."

"And what is happening?"

"The most hotheaded ones conspire about the choosing of a new Dark Lord, others just flee. Hoping they won't be found, hoping the Dark Lord won't recover, hoping this Hell will end at last."

"How did he fall sick in the first place? He is supposed to be immortal."

"Hell if I know. And I don't care. The only thing I care about is that the longer he is sick for longer the 'purification' will be postponed. And that's all I need."

"That's all you need?" Ginny asked with longing.

"No, I also need a new bottle of wine and a good company to spend the evening with. Oops, I forgot, I already have a good company." Ginny almost fainted on the spot, when Draco winked at her.

…………………...

Ginny stretched out to meet another day. It could've been just another day if Ginny's arm hadn't collided with something.

'_What the Hell? My bed is large enough to give me space to sleep on._' She slowly opened her eyes, still a bit disoriented from having a wonderful dream where she woke up with Draco by her side… "What the Hell?!" Ginny screamed, seeing Draco's broad back in one of his white T-shirts. '_How did we end up in one bed? I couldn't have possible forgotten such an event. Well, let's wake up the rational one._' "Draco, wake up. Wake up, you lazy bum."

"Hmprhhmrh."

"Wake up, you sleeping beauty!"

"Didn't she receive a kiss before that?" Draco muttered incoherently.

"She did because she was beautiful and loved and you, ugly ogre, must wake up and explain to me why we are sleeping in one bed!!!"

That made Draco instantly snap his eyes open. "What?"

"I think you can see me right here."

Draco threw a few rapid glances around the room and groaned. "Why? Why now? Couldn't he wait a little longer?"

"What are you talking about, Draco?"

"Look around you and then look at your arms," he threw, beginning to rush around the room and gather his papers, throwing them into a trunk.

And Ginny looked around. Only now she noticed that the bed wasn't standing in their chambers anymore. There were turned up desks and broken chairs lying around. All the clothes that were handed into the closet yesterday were now in a pile on the floor. The room resembled more of a classroom than a bedroom.

"Gather your things. Quickly. You are leaving at once," Draco ordered, running back and forth and shoving his clothes into trunks.

"Leaving? Where? Why? How?"

"Do now, ask later, ok?"

'_He is definitely on the edge. I better not mess it up with him. But what is this crap about leaving? I am a prisoner here, sort of. Oh, well, I should do as Draco says._' So Ginny gathered all her possessions into trunks provided by Draco and watched his frantic movements around the room.

"Okay, I hope everything is set now," Draco stated.

"What is it with you, Draco? Is the castle flooding or something?"

"It will be flooded. Flooded with blood. And that's why you are leaving. Immediately."

"And where will I go, huh?"

"You will go to your brother Ron. He lives far from here so everything will be fine with you."

"To Ron? Are you crazy? How I am even getting there?! And who will release me from this prison? Maybe I'll contact the Dark Lord personally?"

"He is dead."

"What?!!"

"The charm on the castle has fallen. The Dark Mark has disappeared. Voldemort is dead. Nothing holds you here."

"Dead? He is dead? Finally?" Ginny's knees buckled and she fell down onto the trunk.

"Yes, he is dead and you must get out of here while the wave of massive destruction and anarchy hasn't risen."

"What about you?"

"I can't leave the country now. I must secure the vault then finish what I started. There are hundreds of things to do, but first, I must put you into a safe place."

"But how will I get to Ron's. Not through the Floo network, I suppose."

"Oh, yes, of course. I've totally forgotten." Draco rummaged in one of the trunks and took out a long middle sized box. "It was supposed to be a Christmas present, but under the circumstances…"

"What is it?"

"Open and find out."

Ginny opened the box and it fell out of her numb fingers. "Merlin's beard, Draco! Why did you wait for so long to give me a wand?"

"Because you were not allowed to have one."

"But you bought it anyway."

"You know me."

'_I wish I did._' "And what will happen to us? I mean, will we meet again?"

"Nobody knows what Fate has for us. Maybe someday it will cross our paths."

"But we are engaged!"

"You know this engagement is not real! What do you want?! To marry me?!"

That was the question of the day. Did she wan to marry him? She loved him, she knew him despite his secrets, wanted him knowing that she didn't attract him in any way. Ginny's answer was blunt. "I do."

Draco Malfoy wasn't a person who could be surprised easily. He was a brilliant strategist and could predict a way of action in a long run. But those two short words stunned him completely.

Meanwhile Ginny continued in a neutral voice. "I understand that you don't agree with me on this point but I will still wait for you even if you don't want me to and - "

"For a year."

"Huh?"

"Wait for me for a year. If I don't come, then you should move on."

"You want me to wait for you?" Ginny asked, visibly beaming.

"I do."

"Why?"

"We are engaged after all. And now go."

"Will you come for me?"

"I promise."

With a flip of the brand new wand, Ginny disappeared.

'_Now how will I live without her?_'

…………………………….

The Dark Lord died from syphilis, which he was infected with during one of his raid on muggle prostitutes. When the Healers recognized the decease, they advised him to use effective muggle treatment, because there wasn't any wizarding one, but the Dark Lord bluntly refused.

Thus after three months of suffering the Dark Lord died. The same women he wanted to have control over brought him to his grave and far from peacefully. Payback is a bitch.


	19. On Your Own

**Chapter Nineteen: On Your Own**

Ginny landed quite ungracefully in front of a white cottage, covered with trailing plants. She was here only once when the Secret Keeper was installed. Only the Weasley family knew of this place, not even close friends; anyone could be a traitor at that dark times.

"White Place, here I come," Ginny uttered with a sigh, dusting herself off. She neared the door and knocked, preparing herself for all possible reactions to her appearance on Ron's doorstep.

The reaction she received though wasn't on her list. The door was opened by a sleepy looking Ron who instantly snapped out of the dreamland, seeing who stood in front of him, and just stared for a whole minute. "You are alive!" he exclaimed, crushing Ginny in a suffocating hug.

"Ron, Ron…I can't…breathe…"

"Oh my God, Ginny! I can't believe my own eyes! We thought you were dead! Hermione! Come down! Ginny is here!!!" Ron shouted, dragging Ginny into the house and upstairs.

"What are you talking about, honey?" came Hermione's sleepy voice. "You'll wake up Brandon. Do you want to put him in bed again?"

Ron's expression told Ginny that he was certainly not up to the challenge. "Stay here. I'll get Hermione. We've just gone to bed to take a nap after staying up all night. Brandon is one Hell of a boy even if he was just a newhas been born."

Ron ran up the stairs, leaving Ginny to look around. A lot of things hadhave changed since her last visit almost five years ago. At the moment he was standing in a spacious living room with toys scattered on the floor. They definitely belonged to a girl.

'_How many children do Ron and Hermione have?_'

You may consider it strange that the aunt didn't know how many nieces and nephews she had. But there was nothing unusual about it. After Harry Potter's death, the death of their best friend and practically a brother Ron and Hermione were devastated. Even being together didn't console them. But one day they surprised everybody by simply eloping from England.

Two months later Molly Weasley received an owl from them, saying that they had gotten married and were settling in Australia. InFrom one hand Molly was happy for them – they were quite a target for Voldemort and by running away they saved themselves from crucial death – but on the other hand, leaving everybody, everything they fought for behind them was quite cowardice to Molly's mind.

"Ginny! It's really you! What are you doing here? Where have you been?" Hermione bombarded her with questions, giving Ginny another bear hug.

"Slow down, 'Mione, or you'll strangle her before she can say anything," Ron reproached.

"Oh, sorry, Ginny. But I m just so happy to see you! So tell us what happened to you."

"Aaaah, it is a very long story and you need to sleep, so maybe later?"

"As you say, Ginny," Hermione responded, feeling something was fishy with that 'long story'.

"Oh, and one more thing,. I think you better bring mother here, because it will be dangerous to stay in England now."

"Why now? It has been dangerous for a decade already."

"Because Voldemort is dead and there will be utter chaos in the government -"

"Voldemort is dead?!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed simultaneously.

"Yes, he is. So I am certain you should bring Mum here and quickly."

"But how? How could he die? I mean the prophecy and all."

"I don't know, actually. I just know that he is dead."

"But how can you be so sure? Maybe he can be resurrected."

Ginny snorted. "Hardly. He was hated too much for anyone to give an effort to bring him back."

"So you are definitely sure that Voldemort isn't in this world anymore?"

"Of course, I am. I can -" '_No, showing that I don't have the Dark Mark anymore won't be a very good idea._' "Well, I can't give you any real proof. But I can bet it will be all over the Prophet tomorrow. Do you receive the Daily Prophet here?"

"A bit later, but we do."

"Splendid! Then in a few days you'll believe me. Or even sooner if you bringget Mum here right away."

……………………..

This is how Ginny ended up in the Weasley household. Molly Weasley was brought from England the same day and they shared a happy but teary re-joining.joinment. Ginny's tale was told in two sentences: she was held help captive in Voldemort's castle and escaped because, firstly, he was dead and, secondly, she had an inside help from a classmate she had met there. That was all.

Ron suspected she was hiding something, Hermione _knew_ something wasn't right with Ginny's explanation, but Molly just couldn't stop crying tears of happiness. She was overjoyed to have her little girl back.

And so life went on. Ron was playing Quiddich professionally for the Australian National Team. Hermione was a lawyer in both muggle and wizarding courts. Molly was helping around the house and Ginny… Ginny somehow became an unofficial babysitter for Veronica and Brandon – the only continuation of the Weasley family line.

With an addition of two more months it wasn't easy for Ron and Hermione to support the whole family, so Ginny made a move. She tried to help doing the one thing she could. Ginny made a little market research and suggested Ron to make several investments in companies around the country. To say that Ron was surprised was a big understatement. Where from did his little sister learn how to play on a stock market? Even so, he followed her advice. Not all his investments were a success, but the ones that were brought quite a large and steady income with all member of the family doing absolutely nothing.

Eight months went by in this fashion until Ron was awoken by a loud howl; a howl of a wounded animal. He rushed to the source of the sound and when he reached it, he saw Ginny curled in a fatal position, crying her eyes out.

"Ginny, Ginny, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Dead…he is dead…dead," he only heard her breath out between sobs.

Only after giving Ginny a Calming Draught and something to put her to sleep, Ginny's breakdown came to end.

"What do you thing caused this?" Ron asked Hermione, sitting in Ginny's bed, watching her whimper in her sleep.

"I don't have even the slightest idea. Maybe it was something from her past? Something she didn't tell us about."

"But why didn't she? What reason does she have to hide the truth from us, her own family?"

"Keep quite, she is waking up."

"Draco…" Ginny moaned, opening her eyes. "What happened?"

"We must ask _you_ what happened. You just fellfall into hysterics out of the blue, muttering about somebody being dead…"

"Oh, Ginny, you scar has disappeared!" Hermione remarked, holding Ginny's right wrist.

A new wave of sobs shook Ginny. "Draco is dead," she wailed.

"Draco who? Draco Malfoy? Then good riddance," Ron snapped.

"No!!! You don't understand, Ron! He had changed. Life had changed him. He tried to safe the world from Voldemort's ruthlessness. I am alive only because of his efforts!"

"And how did you come to know him so well?" Hermione inquired, as always right to the point.

"I…we…Well, there is no point to hide it from you anymore." Ginny inhaled deeply and began her story. "When I was captured and brought to the castle of the Dark Lord, I was put under the care of Draco Malfoy who was the Financial Consultant of the Dark Lord at that time. During all my stay there we lived together -- "

"Lived together?!"

"Yes, in one room. We had two separate beds if this is what you are worried about, Ron. Life with him wasn't a piece of cake, of course, especially. Especially in the beginning. But when I think about it now, about his constant snapping and yelling at and me… He taught me to live, to. To live in the world of the Dark Lord. He made me stronger, smarter, and more accurate in whatever I was doing. He taughtTaught me how to think rationally, to fight back, not with strength, but with intellectual means. He taught me to survive and I taught him to live."

"To live? What does it mean? You live or you simply don't."

"Draco sacrificed his life, his heart, his soul -- "

"To the Devil, I presume?"

"Don't be childish, Ron," Ginny reproached him. "Draco devoted himself to the rebuilding of England. He was working himself to death neither eating nor sleeping just to restore the economical balance in the country right under the nose of the Dark Lord."

"Quit calling him that!"

"Sorry, old habit."

"Only Death Eaters called him that."

"Yeah."

"Don't tell me that my sister was a Death Eater!"

"Like everyone else," Ginny said with a shrug.

"How can you say it so calmly? You betrayed your believes, everything you stood for!"

'Slap!' "Never, ever accuse me of betraying the Light Side," Ginny uttered in a dangerously low voice. "You weren't there;, you don't know a _thing_ about what I have went through. You were living here in peace, having your own little family while I struggled to survive in that castle. Trapped within its walls, within myself, knowing that nobody and nothing wouldwill save me. Even death wasn't available to escape that madness.

But Draco tried to save me. Me, a worthless woman, just one of the masses, while in his hands there was were lives of millions of wizards and witches. Yes, even though he tried, I was still was to fulfill my purpose, but he made all possible actions to prevent it. And after failing, Draco still helped me to go over that nightmare. Helped me indirectly, without saying anything, asking practically nothing in return, just my companionship.

So I stayed by him. You know, it was just like it was with Harry. Draco was just a bit crazier. He survived five assassination attempts, one because of me. He was a brilliant man. He was a true Malfoy. Why did they kill him?! Whyyyyyyyy?"

"Oh, Ginny, don't cry please. Everything will be alright."

"Nothing will be alright, Hermione. Draco is dead. What will happen to the Mortals now? What will happen to England? To our dear homeland?"

"Mortals? And how do you know about them?"

"And how do _you_ know about them, Ron?" Ginny asked in return.

"They are all over the front page," Ron answered, giving Ginny a fresh number of the Daily Prophet. It read:

_The League of Mortal Businessmen, know simply as the Mortals, is monopolizing the finances of the whole wizarding Europe. All shops, cafes, or other trading organizations, which the owners of which don't belong to the League, don't receive any support from the government or don't have opportunities to market their products…_

The article went on and on aone bout how vicious and unfair the Mortals were. They were even compared to the Death Eaters and their cruel ways of domination.

"Lies! All lies!" Ginny exclaimed, throwing the newspaper onto the floor. "Draco would've never done that. Never. How did they even found out? The organization was supposed to be top secret. I don't believe a _word_ of it."

"Who don't you believe them?then? It is the Daily Prophet – the most trusted newspaper in England."

"I… I…Blaise. I need to contact Blaise. How do you send owls to England?"

"Well, we -" Hermione started to explain.

"Blaise?" Ron interrupted. "Blaise Zabini? That slytherin?"

"Ron we are not in school anymore. Pansy and Blaise are good friends of mine. By the way, Pansy worked in the Prophet. She doesn't work now probably, with the baby and all. Where are they now, I wonder where they are now…"

So Ginny composed a coded letter to Blaise, afraid it could be intercepted by wrong people.

_Dear B!_

_How is everyone? The Prophet tells lies. Tell me the truth, the truth about everything. I miss my scar. I agree to receive a new one._

_Your neighbor on the couples' floor_

Ron being an overprotective and overcurious brother read the letter over Ginny's shoulder. "What is this crap about the scar?"

"Reading others' letters isn't polite, Ron."

"And this doesn't answer my question, dear sister."

"What scar?"

"The scar that has disappeared, obviously. Hermione mentioned it earlier. But scar don't just disappear."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed with a sigh.

"So will you tell me about it or not?" Ron demanded.

"The scar covered Draco' Mark, the Mark of the Mortals. The mark of his trust. And it disappeared meaning that Draco is dead."

There was such fatality in her last words that Ron started to doubt his opinion about Draco Malfoy.

……………………

Another year passed. Of course, Draco didn't come. He broke his promise. And his death broke Ginny in return. She didn't receive aan response neither from Blaise nor from Pansy to whom she wrote repeatedly, trying to know the current situation. The press continues to mess the Mortals with dirt, but no interviews were conducted. Ginny wondered why the paper readers didn't want to know who the Mortals really were, to face them or to fight them. On the other hand the Mortals didn't react to such public insulting either.

How Ginny wished to just drop everything and go back to England to help. She was sure the Mortals still existed and somebody led them forward. It was obvious through the same newspapers but from the last pages of it. With every day more and more advertisement of new firms appeared. Ginny had a feeling that those firms hadn't popped just out of nowhere. She understood that it wasn't a solid proof to anything, but there was a certain style there. A very familiar style.

Ron, Hermione and especially Molly constantly nudged Ginny to get a boyfriend, even set a few blind dates for her, but Ginny politely but firmly refused to start any romantic relationship. Why? Her excuse to the family was that she wasn't still ready. Of course, it was only an excuse. The real reason was simple – she still loved the brilliant Draco Malfoy. He was brilliant but a dead man. Ginny thought she wouldwould've never seen him again, even his dead body, until one day, twenty months after she was released from the castle of the Dark Lord, somebody knocked on the door of the white cottage.

"Who the Hell are you?" Ron asked, opening the door and glaring at the unfamiliar man on his doorstep.

"Is Ginny home?" asked the stranger in a smooth voice.

"And who is asking?"

"Someone who broke his promise."

"What promise?"

"Tell her, she will know."

"And why should I? I don't even know your name. What if you -"

"I mean no harm. I just want to talk to Ginny. But if you continue to be difficult, Weasley, I'll storm the house despite your family being here. I didn't come all the way here to leave empty handed." The face expression of the man didn't changed in the slightest, but his voice had clear iron notes in it.

"Eeeeeerch, come in then. I'll get Ginny. Wait here," Ron said reluctantly, trying to understand what was going on and failing. He went upstairs and knocked on Ginny's door.

"Yes?"

"There is someone to see you."

"Who?"

"Someone who broke his promise."

Till today RonTon wonders how Ginny's door remained on its place after she slammed it open and rushed downstairs on top speed.

'_Is it really him? But how? Why did he? Merlin, how do I look?_' Thoughts jumped in Ginny's head as she ran, taking two stairs at a time.

When she reached the lobby she stopped dead on her tracks, embracing the sight in front of her. He was standing straight and tall in his usual black robes which still made him look majestic even in the lobby of Ron Weasley's house.

"Draco," she breathed out.

He swiftly turned towards the source of the voice and time stopped around them.

'_She is even more beautiful now_.'

'_He has a new scar near the left eye. It makes him look even sexier._'

'_Why is she still standing there?_'

'_Why I am still standing here?_'

Abandoning all rationality Ginny ran into his arms wishing to press him tightly to her and never let go. When she was a mere meter from him Ginny witnessed Draco doing the most un-Malfoyish thing ever – he fell down onto his knees and embraced her on the waist.

"Please, forgive me…Forgive me, Ginny…Please…"

"You came. This is all that matters," Ginny replied softly, going through his blond locks with her hands. It was Heaven and purring sounds from Draco confirmed it. "Why didn't you come earlier? I was so worried especially after the scar was gone. I thought you had _died_. How could you do that to me?"

"It was for your own protection."

"I don't care about protection, I care about _you_."

"You do?"

"Do what?"

"Care about me."

"Of course, I care about you, silly," Ginny said with a smile, caressing his cheek with the back of her hand.

"Ouch!"

"What is it, Draco?"

Draco carefully took her left hand, as if it could fall apart any moment. It was unbelievable that he could touch her freely, with no restriction made by himself or the curse. "You still wear it?" Draco asked with astonishment at the ruby that scratched his cheek.

"Why should I not wear it?"

"But…but… I didn't come in time, you should've moved on."

"I didn't want to move on. I couldn't."

"So you still want to… marry me?"

"I do."

"But I -"

"You what, Draco? If you hadn't known about me keeping of your engagement ring then why did you come? I could've been married for Merlin's sake."

Draco turned his face away, rubbing his head on Ginny's tummy. "I watched you during the last month. I know that you are single and are not seeing anybody. If you had been married I would've left without a word.

I removed you Mark to detach myself from you among all things. To let you live your own life. I tried to live without you, tried to forget you, but all attempts were in vain. I came back just to… to look at you one last time and now I can't make myself move. It feels so good to bruise my knees, standing in this stone floor and hug you, to know that you don't hate me. And if you still want to marry me, I will so do it, because I will be a fool if I don't. And now I am babbling like a schoolboy."

"It was the most romantic babbling I've ever heard, Draco."

"Did I hear someone talking about marriage?" Molly asked, emerging from behind the kitchen doors.

"We've been busted, Draco," Ginny whispered with a mischievous smile.

Right at that moment Ron also decided to come downstairs. Seeing Draco's posture he exclaimed utterly horrified, "You are not proposing, are you?"

"I… I…" Draco attempted to say something, standing up, but the audience was definitely embarrassing him.

'_Sweet Merlin! The moment of history – Draco Malfoy is blushing!_' Ginny thought, smiling from ear to ear. '_He will be mine. I won't let him go no matter what._' "Mum, Ron, meet my fiancée, Draco Malfoy."

"You fiancée, how interesting," Molly remarked, giving Ginny an you'll-tell-me-all-about-it look. "You are staying for dinner, I suppose," Molly asked Draco with a disarming smile.

"Yes, I will stay forfro dinner," Draco stated, finally collecting himself. He was a Malfoy again – cool and confident.

When everybody, including Hermione and the children, sat down behind the table a pregnant silence settled among the table occupantsdiners.

"So what do you do for a leaving, Draco?" Molly inquired in a conversational tone.

"Mum, this is Draco bloody Malfoy! What else can he do but -"

"Please, inform us, Ron. I am really curious about what you were going to say," Draco interrupted, showing Ron he was utterly in control of the conversation. Seeing Ron snapping his mouth shut, Draco answered Molly's question. "I am a financial consultant at, let's say, Gringotts."

"And where do you live?" Molly continued her interrogation.

"In London. During the last few years I've been living mostly in hotels. But I am planning to buy a three store house near Gringotts."

"Three store house? Are you planning to have a big family, Draco?"

"Well, I -"

"Draco wants to place his office there," Ginny answered instead of him.

"Only on one floor!" Draco retorted defensively.

"Yeah, and an archive in the basement," Ginny added.

"Okay, okay, you know me too well. But what is so bad about it?"

"Nothing," Ginny said with a shrug. "There will be no need to get up early to go to work. Two flight of stairs and I am there."

"The work day starts at eight," Draco said with a wink.

"At ten and not a minute earlier! Or I am not working for you!"

Maybe I don't understand something, but I was told that Draco was your fiancée, not your employer," Hermione joined the discussion.

"He is great in both rolls," Ginny replied not without a pride.

"I am flattered, Ginny."

"Don't be. Or I'll tell what a 'good' employer you really are, Draco," Ginny whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his spine.

"Don't spoil everybody's appetite," Draco whispered in return, not forgetting to add a smirk in the end.

"Otherwise they are going to eat _you_."

"You are so full of it, Ginny."

"Don't pretend to be empty, Draco."

"Ahem," Ron cleared his throat.

Ginny and Draco looked up from their whispered conversation, noticing that everybody hadhas already finished their dinner.

"Oops," Ginny squeaked, feeling like a girl caught red handed.

"I think we should have tea in the living room," Molly stated.

"I absolutely agree with you, Mrs. Weasley."

"I heard you were somehow connected to the Mortals. Draco," Molly threw over a cup of tea.

Ron sneered. This was the moment when the downfall of Draco Malfoy started.

"I understand, Mrs. Weasley, you are interested in verification of the articles written in the Daily Prophet awhile ago. Well, don't believe a word of it. TheyThere were lies, all lies. When the first article appeared I was in Denmark, attending a wedding and other urgent business, so it was impossible for me to stop right away. Of course, I was instantly informed that someone dared not only to open a secret of the whole Europe but openly black mouth it. At that time the organization had one thousand and fifty six people, about a hundred in each European country. So, I think, you can easily come to the conclusion that those articles were quite a complication to our work. Being the leader of the Mortals it was my primary obligation to sort things out. So I found the leak and liquidated it. The publication of those articles was a really stupid thing to do. The only thing that came of it was that now I check new members not twice but thrice. It is so hard to trust people nowadays," he ended philosophically.

"So what exactly do you do?"

"Officially – nothing, because the Mortals don't exist. But unofficially we give financial consulting in general and give partnership opportunities in particular. For example, you want to open a pet shop. After doing a marketing research, finding a room for your shop, employing stuff etc. – you can do it yourself or we can help you – you need someone who will supply you with pets. That's our call – to find you a supplier, even a muggle one. You arrange a contract with the most suitable one and the trade is going. Easy and effective."

"Hey, Draco! You can open the first office here, in Australia. Train Hermione and the trade will be going," Ginny suggested enthusiastically.

"Whoa, whoa, Gin. What was this sentence about training me? Training for what?"

"Tell, her, Draco." Ginny nudged him by her elbow. "Tell her what you told me in France on the meeting of the Mortals."

"I can't train her, Ginny," Draco hissed. "I told you the reasons."

"But half of them don't stand anymore," Ginny hissed back.

"I am still here, and you are talking about my wife," Ron interjected.

"And that is _exactly _why I can't train Hermione," Draco stated.

"Because of me?"

"How many months in a year do you spend with your family?"

"Well, approximately five. I must travel a lot with the team."

"This is my point. A Family must stay a family, especially with children. That's why I refuse to train Hermione to become one of the Mortals; she is a wife and a mother on the first place, even if of she is one of the smartest witcheswitched in the world."

Hermione blushed. She was often told that she was smart but still was modest about it.

"But you don't put Ginny in the same context, Draco," Molly remarked.

"I don't object when both husband and wife are members of the organization. For example, the Zabinies, even if of Pansy doesn't directly participate, or the Graps who's wedding I attended on Denmark. Atlanta and Samuel work together very efficiently in Scandinavia. They met during one of the meetings, he is German and she is Dutch. It was rather funny, they danced the whole night together and then got married in three months. I have fifty couples. One of them was taken to be my successors. They are now standing in the head of French brunch. Crazy people really."

"I want to try," Hermione said softly.

"What?" everyone in the room asked.

"I want to try. I am sick of being a lawyer. Seek of corruption and crime. I am sure that my knowledge and experience in that department will be more useful to the Mortals."

"Do you agree?" Draco asked Ron.

"Well, I don't know. What are the consequences of Hermione's decision are?"

"It means tough life. Not as tough and dangerous as it was before but quite challenging and interesting too."

"I am willing to try, Ron. And if If I don't manage thanthat I can quite. I _can_ quit, right?"

"Yes, of course. It isn't the Dark Mark, the Mortal's Mark can be easily removed. Let's get to business then?"

"I love when Draco turns all business like, he looks even sexier," Ginny whispered to Molly.

"Indeed."

"Mother!"

"What? I was just agreeing with you. He is quite a catch. Has he proposed today?"

"No, he hasn't. Actually, we've been engaged for almost two years and he's never proposed."

"So how did you become engaged then?"

"Let's say it was matter of mutual choice."

Meanwhile Draco was doing business, aka turning Hermione into a Mortal.

"Okay, give me your right hand and relax. It won't hurt. Make your mind blank."

"What for?"

"Do do as I say," Draco said with slight pressure. Hermione obeyed, seeing steel in Draco's eyes. After five minutes Hermione's right wrist was crossed by a scar. "Ginny will tell you the basis about the Mark functions and other things. I designed special training programs for new members, but I don't do it myself anymore. I'll send…" Draco took out a small notebook out of his robes' pocket, "Mmmm, Patrick tomorrow. I mean, he'll come tomorrow, because I've sent for him already. Does 12 am suit you?"

"Well, yeah."

"12 am it is. I'll probably be still around so tell him to contact me for some specific instructions concerning you."

"Why are they needed?"

"Because of who you are and because you haven'thasn't worked in the field of economics. But I am sure everything will turn out alright. Are you planning to have another child?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

"I don't think so. Not in the near future anyway."

"Great. Welcome to the Mortals," Draco said, shaking her hand.

"What does the name mean?"

"Well, originally the organization was created to oppose Voldemort. The name has the same purpose. It means that we don't seek immortality as he did, but we are mere humans even if you can make miracles happen sometimes."

"Hey!" Ginny appeared beside Draco. "My turn. I want my pretty scar back."

"_Pretty_ scar?"

"Yes, I liked to have it."

"Ginny cried the whole day whenwhat it disappeared," Hermione added.

"You cried?" Draco asked unbelievingly. '_She _cried_ for me?_'

"Yes. So give it back to me," Ginny said, shoving him her right hand.

"I can't let my partner cry, cannow do I?" The Mark appeared on Ginny's wrist before she could even blink from surprise.

"Partner?" she uttered, leaving her mouth open.

"To me it seems strange to pay my own wife, so we'll have an equal share."

"Sweet Merlin! A partner! I am so honored! Oh, thank you Draco!" she exclaimed, embracing him tightly.

Her body so closely to his sent all Draco's blood in the southern direction. He could even feel the heat from her skin through all layers of clothes. It made his blood boil. With unimaginable efforts he forced him to control his instincts. "You are worthy of it. Even if you did makemade me ashamed recently."

"How?"

"You missed Columbus Inc. when you made investments from Ron's behalf. Their booming success was easily predictable even several weeks ago."

"We didn't have any spare money. Just today came a needed sum. I was going to do it first thing in the morning."

"Good girl. Now can you release me?"

"I can't make myself move."

"What do you suggest then?"

"Dance with me."

"Here? Now?"

"After II'll change into something more suitable."

"And then?"

"We'll work something out."

"Ginny, I have a present for you from Andromeda."

"Really? How sweet of her."

"I can't get it with you strangling me."

"Oh." Ginny stepped aside with a pout. '_It felt so good to feel his body pressed to mine. He doesn't even let me even to get close to him. Some fiancée._'

"Open it only when you are alone. Before you make any comment about it I want to say that it was _totally_ Andromeda's idea. I just picked something that suited you because she asked me to do it."

"Okay. Wait here." Ginny took the box and went upstairs.

Draco watched her every move. '_It is a crime to sway hips like that._'

Ginny entered her and room and ripped open the box's wrapping paper. When she saw the present's content, the box fell down onto the floor, because her fingers were paralyzed from shock. In the box was a complete set on lingerie including a bodice and stockings. It was made of red and black velvet decorated with the finest lace.

On the very bottom was a white card which read: _There is more than one man in the world, but only one for you. Have fun._

Ginny grabbed the underwear and rushed to the bathroom.

**A/N: So only one chapter left now. Firstly I want to thank everybody for reviews and adding the story to Alert and Favorites lists. The amount is increasing with every chapter. **

**I also want to post a question that I forgot to in the previous chapter: CAN ANYBODY TELL ME WHERE VOLDEMORT'S CASTLE WAS SITUATED? There was a major hint in the previous chapter and one in the very beginning of the fic. **

**What else? Stay tuned. I am sure you'll like the end, even if it isn't really worked up yet.**


	20. Released

**As always sorry for the delay, but hopefully you'll like this final chapter and won't kill me, because I plan to continue my fan fiction writing life. In this chapter is also revealed the meaning of the title if you haven't gotten it yet.**

**Chapter Twenty: Released**

'_What takes her so long?_' Draco mused, sitting in the living room. '_It's been an hour already._' Ginny's legs had visualized on the stairs. '_Finally_' He stood up, dusted off his pants and then… nothing. Now Draco knew that breath could be taken away quite literally. He just stood there, stunned by the view of endless legs, attractive curves, milky skin of exposed neck and shoulders that were created to be kissed and a waterfall of flame that begged to be tamed. Ginny's black dress seemed too tight to him and his pants were surely very tight already.

"Common. There is plenty of room upstairs," she said in a carefree tone and started to go back to her room. Draco followed as if somebody was pulling him on the leach. "Here. We won't disturb anyone."

'_No, no, no, no! Why the bedroom? Merlin, help me. Why must she torture me so? And she doesn't have the slightest idea what she is doing to me._'

"What are you, a statue or something? You came here to dance, remember?"

"I… I…" '_Get a grip of yourself, Malfoy!_' "Won't the music wake up the children?"

"You are the master of silencing charms. You can take care of it."

"Yes, I can." Draco noticed that his hand was shaking; this was very, very bad. But he wasn't a Malfoy for nothing. In one deep breath he steadied himself and put several silencing charms on the walls and the floor.

"What music is more suitable for tonight?" Ginny asked, brushing her hand over his.

That was the last straw. Draco jerked to the door. "I am sorry, Ginny, but I must leave. I don't feel well."

'_No! This is my last chance to stop him._' "I've put on your present. Would you like to see it?"

Draco heard the sound of a zipper opening; he turned to the door and screwed up his eyes.

"Look at me, Draco. You've chosen it yourself, don't you want to see how it suits me? Draco…" she breathed into his ear, leaning onto his back.

"Stop it, stop it right now or I'll -" Draco said through clenched teeth.

"You'll what? Rip it off of me? Take me right now and here? Then what are you waiting for?"

"I… I don't want to… force you into anything."

"You are not forcing me. I am _begging_ you. I've waited for this moment for more than two years. I know you feel at least something for me, Draco. I saw it in your eyes. You don't need to hide it or trap it inside you. Be a man, Draco!" Ginny cried, grabbing the collar of his robes and tearing it off of him. That move certainly made him turn. "Take it or live it!"

'_I was right. This underwear makes her look deadly sexy,_' Draco thought, looking her over with eyes completely black from desire. "It is awful," he finally said, eating her with his passionate look and moving towards her.

"Awful?" Ginny asked flabbergasted.

"Horrible, disgusting, vomiting, terrible, dreadful." With each word Draco took a step forward, making Ginny take one back until her legs stopped against the bed. "I absolutely hate it. It must be removed immediately." With a slight push Ginny landed on the bed. Draco soon joined her.

Ginny knew what passion was, but she never would've imagined what passion was trapped inside Draco Malfoy. It burnt her inside out and upside down. But at the same time his every kiss, every caress was soft and tender, as if he was afraid to break her, to hurt her in any way.

When they finally became one all the walls between them were broken. Broken by their will to live, to lust, to love. Even when trapped inside a castle ruled by a crazy maniac, they learned to love each other, despite the cataclysms around them. They hid their feelings from each other, believing in the impossibility of them to be returned. And yet… They were cuddling after the best night of their lives.

"Do you want an heir, Draco?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I can give you one."

"So your infertility wasn't permanent?"

"The curse the Healer cast allows me to get pregnant only from the man I love. I wish I could give you my virginity too."

"It isn't important."

"It is."

"If it is so important to you, I gave you mine with all love in the world."

"What have you just said?" Ginny asked, rising her head from his chest to face him.

"You are the first women I slept with."

"No, after that. Did you say you…loved me?"

"Yes, I did. For quite some time actually."

'_He loves me! He loves me! He loves _me' "Oh, don't tell me you fancied me at school."

"No, I didn't. It was… much later."

"When?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I don't know," she uttered, shyly taking her glance away from his.

"Woman's curiosity?"

"Maybe."

"I bet you just want to know when Draco Malfoy, who has no place for a woman in his life, started to fall in love with the only woman present there."

"But isn't it fair for me to know?"

"Let's say it happened at second sight. At your initiation. You twisted Voldie's knickers so hard that day. It was spectacular. That day the fight began."

"What fight?"

"Between me and all other single men in the castle."

"But I was a Weasley!"

"So? You are a woman, not to mention quite a hot one, especially after you started to dress normally. And you are still a Weasley, by the way."

"Hot? What do you mean by 'hot'?"

"Well, I don't know… Maybe exactly what is usually meant in this context?" Draco said huskily, lightly tracing the way from her right thigh to her neck. Even if the touch was a light one, it made Ginny shiver from head to toe.

"Till when will I stay a Weasley, Draco?"

"Till… tomorrow?"

"Aren't we in a hurry?" Ginny teased.

"Well, you know, I am a busy man."

"No, you are _my_ man."

"Aren't we possessive?" Draco teased back.

"Yes, I am. Now I will _never_ let you go."

"So what about tomorrow?"

"No way, Draco. I want a real wedding, not some papers. You yourself complained about it. We could do a double wedding with Pansy and Blaise if they haven't had a real one yet."

"You know, that's a wonderful idea! Susanna can be a flower girl."

"Susanna?"

"Pansy and Blaise's daughter."

"So they have a daughter?"

"Yeah. Pansy gave birth in the dungeons. It wasn't an easy delivery."

"Dungeons? What for Merlin's sake was she doing there?!"

"Actually, we all were there, the whole England Mortals department. We were hiding in Gringotts during all this publicity mess. It was far more complicated than I told your mother."

"You were hiding in Gringotts? That's awful! For how long?"

"Just for two months, while I was tracing that bastard. I hadn't imagined that one person could hate somebody so strongly, moreover I. I don't even know the reason why he blew up the cover of the whole organization. For some stupid revenge?

It was kinda funny, really. We were _all_ staying in one building under everybody's noses. Under _my_ nose. I was sitting all days long and scanned the minds of people I trusted. It took me two months to catch the incriminating memories. And I just snapped. I took him to a separate room and… and…"

"You killed him," Ginny stated.

"Yes, I killed him. Strangled with my bare hands. I won't ever forgive myself for such pointless loss of temper and self-control."

"Don't push yourself, Draco. You did the right thing. You saved hundreds of people by doing it."

"You know, it was a real shock. I was in a merry mood, sitting behind a table covered with wedding feast. Atlanta had finally found a suitable man; everything was working smoothly and then BOOM! That bloody article in the Prophet. For a whole day I thought everything had been lost. I couldn't understand how it happened. Even with Voldemort I managed, we all managed to hide everything and now, with no death threat above our heads, everything was being ruined by some stupid articles.

At that time people looked for somebody to blame for the after-war crisis. The Fate had chosen the Mortals to be that shape goat. Frankly speaking, during those days I wished for you to be with me. To tell me your stories…"

"Those times are the past, Draco. Don't dwell on them. Now you can look into the future. You'll open your office in Diagon Alley, the trade will be going and all your dreams will come true."

"Don't forget to include yourself in those dreams, partner. We will do it together."

"I like how you say it – together. I always thought you were more of a solo player."

"Your stories taught me a lot. You had a great a family."

"And how are those two sentences connected?"

"Ginny, am I a fool? I almost immediately understood that you were telling me stories about your family. And frankly speaking, who else could you talk about so fluently?"

"You've got me there. So you are not offended by listening about the Weasley family?"

"Of course not. Those stories made me realize a lot of things: the importance of family, its love and unity; that fun played an important role in our life, that devotion must be equally divided between all parts of one's life, especially if you have another someone in it. And I also understood how talented all you brothers were. By the way, I myself used the twins' services at school."

"You did?! But how come they never told us?"

"I have my ways."

"Yeh, definitely. The night is still young, how about having your way with me?"

"Most definitely."

…………………..

Ron wasn't in a good mood that bright shiny morning. Brandon kept him up the whole night. He was really glad to have a boy, but that boy drove him _crazy_. Fatherhood wasn't an easy task. And now he needed coffee. Dark, strong coffee. Hermione soon joined him with Brandon. Soon the whole family went down for breakfast except for…

"Where is Ginny?" Run grunted, pouring himself another cup of coffee.

"Must be still upstairs, sleeping."

"But she always gets up early, not later than eight."

"Well, today seems to be an exception," Hermione remarked evenly.

"Wait a minute… When did Malfoy left last night?" Ron asked with rising suspicion.

"I don't know, I was with Brandon," Hermione replied.

"Mum?"

"I didn't notice either. He must've not left at all," molly added the last sentence with a small smile.

"What do you mean, he didn't left?! Then it means he is still here! In… in…" Ron couldn't finish the phrase, because he was overwhelmed with indignation and shock.

"Ginny's room," Molly finished for him.

"That bastard! I'll show him what it is to mess with the Weasleys." Ron stood up ready to protect his sister's honor, but Hermione pushed him down.

"Stop it, Ron. You are acting like you are still at school. They are older than eighteen and they are engaged. If you are so worried about Ginny's well being I'll just go and check on her."

That's how Hermione found herself knocking on Ginny's door. No answer was given. As quietly as she could, Hermione opened the door, peeped in and couldn't help but smile widely.

The room was a mess – clothes were scattered everywhere. It was exactly the same picture as in Hermione and Ron's bedroom after his return from a long trip. She moved her gaze onto the bed in pure curiosity. Its occupants were obviously naked, no surprise there, but the way they were pressed tight to each other was quite astonishing. There was absolutely no space between their bodies as if they were holding onto each other for dear life. It looked really sweet to Hermione.

"Everything is alright, Ron. I am sure they'll come downstairs eventually."

"So he _is_ in her room! I'll _gladly_ remove him from there."

Ron's hostile attempt was interrupted by the sounds of laughter and skipping steps. A moment later, Ginny appeared in a long sleeved sundress. She was skipping from stair to stair like a cat which ate a very fat canary. She wasn't looking where exactly she was putting her feet on that's why she tripped on the last stair and would've fallen down if it hadn't been for Draco who appeared on the stairs out of nowhere and grabbed Ginny's right forearm.

"I told you one day your heels would kill you," he reproached seriously.

"Sorry, Draco," Ginny replied with shame, noticing her alarm signal on his Mark. '_He must've thought I was in real danger._'

"Hey, lover birds!" Ron shouted from the kitchen. "Care to explain your actions?"

"What actions?" Ginny asked with expression of pure innocence.

"I got to go. I'll visit you later," Draco whispered into Ginny's ear for nobody to hear.

"You are not going anywhere. I have the right to at least have breakfast with my fiancée. Right, Mum?"

"Of course, Ginny dear. We have so much to discuss, the wedding, for example."

"Common, Draco." Ginny nudged him to move into the kitchen. "You are not afraid, are you?"

"Don't be ridicules, Ginny. The only thing I am afraid of is poisoning."

"Poisoning?" molly asked confused. "Why will anybody poison you? Especially here."

"This is exactly what I am talking about, Mrs. Weasley. The chances of anybody poisoning me in this house are quite dim," Draco said, sitting down behind the table to finally consume some food to restore the energy he used during the night activities. And there was quite a lot to restore.

A shadow of panic crossed Ginny's features. "You are not talking about what I think you are talking about, Draco?"

"No, I am not. There won't be any other attempts."

"What attempt?" Ron blurted out; sick of listening to a conversation he didn't understand a word of.

"Attempts to kill me," Draco answered, buttering a toast.

"Oh."

"Now everything is secure and I can freely marry your sister. In two months perhaps?"

"Two months?! It is impossible to organize a wedding this fast!" Molly protested.

"Are there any reasons for such a rush?" Hermione asked, with obvious text between the lines.

"Do you have any special reasons, Draco?" Ginny asked in turn, oblivious to Hermione's suggestion.

"The house will be ready by then, but if it isn't enough, well, then it will take longer. There is so much organization with double wedding and everything…"

"Double wedding?" molly asked completely disoriented. The whole context of Ginny getting married was too sudden for her. Molly felt like everything was planned without her. She was the bride's mother for Merlin's sake! And practically didn't know the groom! Ginny wasn't going to ask about her mother's blessing as it seemed.

"Yes, Pansy and Blaise didn't have a proper ceremony. And the Mortals must attend! All of them!" Ginny exclaimed with sudden enthusiasm.

"Ginny, this is impossible," Ginny stated.

"Why? It is their duty to attend the wedding of their leader. I won't take 'no' for an answer about this matter."

"But there are _hundreds_ of them."

"So? Two months is quite enough to inform them."

"Then _you_ are going to write the invitation. You'll understand what I am talking about when you are half through them."

"I won't write them. The Mortal's Mark will be quite enough to be a proof to me," Ginny finished with a look that said 'And what do you have to say to this?' Draco only bowed his head in return, admitting defeat.

"Are you always like this?" Hermione interrupted their picketing.

"Like what?"

"Bickering, without noticing others' presence in the room."

"A familiar picture, isn't it?" Ginny remarked, winking in Ron and Hermione's direction, making them blush slightly.

"Patrick will come an hour later than previously arranged. Problems with international apparating," Draco informed out of blue. "Is it okay with you, Hermione?"

"Yeah, we can have lunch together," Hermione drawled, already forgetting about the whole ordeal.

"Forgetfulness is not a good trait for a Mortal, Hermione," Draco said sternly.

"Watch who you are raising your voice to, Malfoy. She is my wife and I can't just let this," Ron threatened.

"You are her husband, but I am her boss. It makes a great difference," Draco said in return in a tone that clearly said not to mess up with him.

"I don't envy you, Ginny," Hermione whispered, finally beginning to understand why Malfoy had hundreds of employees and was able to control them all.

"I think, it is time form men's heart to heart, Malfoy," Ron stated, looking into Draco's eyes with determination and surprising strength. "Being the only male in the Weasley family I'll be giving my sister's hand in marriage; thus I have the right to know who _exactly_ I am giving her to."

Draco smirked, but nodded. "We have time. Ginny, you know what to do," he said, tilting his head in Hermione's direction.

"Yeah. Don't be afraid, Ron won't eat you, he is already full from breakfast."

"Don't worry, Ginny. I know how to handle Weasley men," Draco threw, following Ron to his room.

"What was the last comment about?" Ron asked, firmly closing the door behind him.

"I was friends with your eldest brother Bill. I surely could handle him, so I don't think there will be any difficulties with the youngest brother, namely you. So you are quite serious about it," Draco remarked, noticing Ron locking the door.

"Yes, I am always serious when it concerns to my family. Firstly, I want to know in what mess you are dragging Hermione."

"I am not dragging her anywhere. She volunteered herself. I was against it. But you must admit that she is a brilliant addition to the League. And I can assure you that the moment it gets too tough for her, I'll let her go. That was the deal. Is this clear now?"

"Yeah."

"Can I sit down?"

"Sure."

"Thank you." Draco sat down onto a nearby chair and fixed his firm but calm glance on Ron.

"You know, Malfoy. I don't get you."

"Maybe you'll start getting me when you begin to call me Draco?"

"Hardly."

"Why did you bring me here, Ron? I know you have something to ask me, but I want you to tell me yourself."

"What did _really _happen at that place where Ginny was kept?" Ron breathed out.

"She hasn't told you?"

"Well, only briefly. She said something about you saving her from her fate. What was it?"

"Do you really want to know? It was nothing pretty, believe me."

"She is my sister."

"She was to become the Dark Lady, the wife of Lord Voldemort. But even before that she had been visiting his chambers for three weeks."

"Holy Founders, but how…what…tell me everything."

And Draco did. Every fact told by Draco made Ron turn paler and paler. He couldn't imagine how Ginny managed to live through all that. Now he began to understand Ginny words about Malfoy helping her. It was impossible to survive there alone. And somehow Draco Malfoy happened to be the person who cared for his sister, helped, healed and saved her. And knowing Ginny, the actions were mutual. Their relationship was based on a very solid ground; it was the only thing Ron needed to know.

"So you and Ginny are moving back to London?"

Draco even blinked from surprise. It was the least awaited reaction to his tale. "Yes, we are," he only managed to say.

"Take care of her then."

"That's all? No threatening or older brother advice?"

"If a woman managed to put you on your knees, she must mean quite something to you."

……………………..

**Who Is Who in the Wizarding World Year 2015**

Draco Siberius Malfoy – born 21.11.1980. Kensington, England, UK; 1991-1997 Hogwarts; 1998-2003 Financial Consultant of Voldemort; 1999-current – Head of the League of Mortal Businessmen (LMB); 23.08.2006 – mar. to Ginevra Molly Weasley (5.12.1981); 15.04.2009 – son Fabian Basil Malfoy; 22.02.2014 – daug. Vivian Melody Malfoy; 11.05.2006 – establishing of the LMB HQ on Diagon Alley 38; 07.05.2007 – putting into mass production potions: Antihangover, Fresh Sleep, Universal Painkiller etc. under the trademark 'Legacy of Severus Snape'. Personal credo: We make history with our own hands.

The League of Mortal Businessmen – officially established on 11.05.2006. HQ – Diagon Alley, London, England, UK. Main area: financial consulting. Brunches in 52 countries, 2058 cities. Appx. 3000000 emp. Director – Draco Siberius Malfoy. The corporation is considered to be the most trusted company in the world of international business. Slogan: There is always someone for you in this world. Ask us and we'll find him.

**A/N: That's all folks. Of course I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, simply hit this fic and paid any attention to it. Of course, I also want to thank my beta, who made this all readable for you.**

**I also want to tell you that I am leaving the D/G fan fiction for some time. I want to read the final book first. AND I DON'T CARE IF DRACO DIES THERE I'LL DO MY NEXT FIC AS I PLANNED IT!By later. Now I am moving to the realm of Artemis Fowl. The fic is almost ready. Anyone interested – please welcome. I also plan to do several fics on Inuyasha. For ones who put me in the Alert list (I am of course very flattered) you can ignore none HP fics that I'll post in the near future or join me on another adventure.**

**Thank you all again for reading this fic that I really liked to write, even if it came out totally different than I planned. **


End file.
